Bad Moon Rising
by Princessleia9977
Summary: A few years after the Cullen's had left, life finally began to settle down for the communities of Forks and La Push. Life went on and everything was peaceful for once. Too bad for the La Push Wolves, their peace is about to be interrupted by the arrival of a terrifying legend who stalks the countryside with an insatiable hunger for human flesh. A slow burn imprint story.
1. Chapter 1

**Authors Note: This story is set in the year 2012 and is centered entirely around the Quileute Wolf pack and the concept of imprinting as well as around Werewolves, or Lycanthropes. This story will be centered around Paul and my own female character as well as few other relationships between Stephenie Meyer's La Push pack and my own characters. This story has been on my mind a lot recently and I have been aching to write it for a very, very long time, but it wasn't until recently that I decided to give it a go and I have to say I am very proud of what I have managed to put together so far. I wanted to write a story about actual werewolves and what would happen if one of the guys imprinted on one. ****I also wanted to write something inspired by the Beast of Gevaudan, which if you don't know the story is about a terrifying man-eating wolf that terrorized France in the 18th century for three years. And it's a true story too and it's where a lot of modern Werewolf lore actually comes from. **

**Warnings: This story will have some dark themes. Rating may be subject to change. **

**Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight. If I did, I would've written about Werewolves and Shapeshifters and not Vampires. **

**OoO**

_"If being a werewolf is really a curse, you've got to treat it honorably. If werewolves are going to carry on, there has to be an incredibly powerful force. There is the business of the craving, the hunger for the kill. It has to be deeply pleasurable and more than an appetite for meat. There has to be a sensual dimension to it."_

_-Glen Duncan_

**OoO**

_Yellow, beady eyes peered through the trees as the little girl, no older than eight years old exited the school bus, her long blond hair pulled into two pigtails that bounced with every step she took. He crouched down low as he watched her with gleaming anticipation as she began her trek home before he silently rose from his hiding place and followed her, the trees providing ample cover as he stalked his prey. _

_His steps were silent as she hummed a little song, unaware of the monster that watched her from the shadows. There was a hunger inside of him for more than just meat that transcended everything, even his physical hunger for human flesh. He craved her, but the thrill of the hunt was what made him truly ravenous. _

_He was the Wolf, the devourer of all things and unfortunately for her, his appetite knew no bounds. _

**OoO**

When Sergeant Hewitt of Forks Police Department had first started the job years ago, he had been warned by several of the older, more seasoned cops about the full moon. It was common knowledge among first responders, police, and hospital staff that the weirdest things happened during a full moon. He hadn't believed it at first, dismissing it as nothing more than an old wives' tale, but the more time he spent on the job, the less skeptical he became.

He had no idea what it was about the moon, but whenever it was full it seemed as though all the crazies came out of the woodwork like termites. He didn't know why or how, but the full moon always seemed to make people, and even animals go crazy.

But this night, standing under the full moon, Daniel Hewitt knew that he had never seen anything in his entire career in law enforcement that rivaled the sight of an eight-year-old Molly Anderson, her body mutilated beyond recognition. The only reason that he could identify her was because of her pink jacket, ripped completely to shreds and completely covered in blood. It was the last thing she had been seen wearing earlier that day.

"Jesus fucking Christ," he muttered under his breath as he reached up and took his hat off before turning away from the scene, unable to look at it any longer as he crouched down to the ground and inhaled sharply. He closed his eyes for a few moments before he rose to his feet and prepared to radio it in.

"Dispatch this is Sergeant Hewitt. We can call off the search, I found her," he swallowed heavily as he felt nausea beginning to bubble in the pit of his stomach. "I need a body bag and a forensic team to my location— you know what, fuck it. Send everyone."

And with that, he bent over and promptly upchucked his dinner.

**OoO**

Once upon a time, thousands of years ago in the city-state of Arcadia in ancient Greece, there was a king named Lycaon who was more monstrous than human. Wishing to trick the gods, he murdered his youngest son, his own flesh and blood and served him to Zeus on a golden platter to eat, wishing to see if the god really was all-knowing. Enraged, Zeus cursed Lycaon and all his sons, forcing them to roam the Earth in search of a way to be human once again, their hunger ravenous and never-ending.

Interestingly, this same story has been told many times throughout the world. The Native Americans in the northeastern United States believed in the Wendigo, a demonic dark spirit who hungered for the flesh of men, his hunger never satiated. He too, like Lycaon, was once just a man before he became a monster.

At the heart of both stories, the message is all the same. For a man to become a monster, he must already be one. Or that, you know, you probably shouldn't eat people.

_Go figure._

Tugging at the silver bullet around my neck that had been fashioned into a necklace, I ignored the sizzling pain as I drove down the dark and deserted road that snaked through the Washington wilderness. The crescent, half-moon shone through the canopy of trees overhead, bright and alluring I couldn't help but stare up at it, transfixed.

I sighed as I tore my eyes away from it and focused on the road in front of me, the road that I had been driving down ever since leaving Seattle a few hours ago and that I was certain by now led to nowhere. Isolated from civilization and in the heart of the wilderness, I could see why this place would attract someone of my kind. It was secluded and there were literally miles upon miles of nothing but forest and trees. It was the perfect place for a Lycanthrope. A place for the man to let go and embrace his inner monster, hence the reason I was driving to nowhere Ville USA with enough arsenal in my trunk to take on a small army, or in my case a rabid, man-eating Werewolf.

And if things were as bad as they were on the news, I would be needing all the weapons at my disposal, maybe more if things turned south. It was a good thing the local authorities were trying to keep everything under wraps to not cause widespread panic because it gave me time to quietly take care of things before the news spread out of the state of Washington and maybe even out of the country. I shuddered to think what would happen then, if the _Others _in Italy, heard what was happening here.

That was, perhaps, the worst thing that could happen. Our kind had managed up until that point to stay hidden for so long and I hated to think what would happen if those sparkly bastards in Italy found out.

Reaching over to the cup-holder, I grabbed the near-empty cup of coffee that I picked up from a McDonald's earlier that night and took a sip, frowning at the bitter cold taste before I set it down again, my eyes traveling back over the dimly lit expanse before looking at the clock that now read midnight.

I couldn't help the yawn that bubbled out of my throat, tiredness washing over me as I pumped my leg to try and fight off the cramping feeling that spread from my thigh to my ass from sitting for so long. My phone began to vibrate in my back pocket as I turned the radio down and reached for it.

I stared down at the name on the screen and pressed the accept button before pressing the phone to my ear. "You're a crazy bitch, you know that, right?" said a male voice on the other end as I cracked a smile.

"It's nice to hear from you as well, dipshit," I said as I kept my focus on the road.

"Mason is pissed," he said, iterating the word pissed for emphasis. "You disobeyed a direct order from an Alpha. Our Alpha, Shay."

"You don't need to remind me," I said. "I know what Mason's orders were, but I happened to be in Eugene, Oregon when I saw what was happening. I was closer than you guys so I figured I would get in my car and come up here and scope the place out before you guys got here."

"Are you driving?" came another accusing voice, this one female as I winced. "It sounds like you're driving. Shay, you know you're not supposed to talk on the phone and drive at the same time!"

"I know, I know," I said. "Just— tell me what's going on with the pack. Are you guys on your way?"

"We're still in Los Angeles if that's what you're wondering," said Ezra before adding; "where are you?"

I peered at the large green sign that was illuminated by my headlights, "somewhere in Clallam County Washington. There was another killing yesterday in Forks. A little girl."

Ezra sighed, "and that's why you didn't want to wait for us."

I nodded, "yeah, it's really bad, guys. It's la bête de Gévaudan all over again. I know I was supposed to wait for back up, but I can't. Innocent people are dying."

"Shay," said Ezra, his voice stern, "you need to be careful."

"I know—"

"He's right," said Brenda. "We're still stuck in California for the moment, which means that you're gonna be there; alone. No pack and no hunters to back you up in case things go wrong."

"I wasn't planning on taking him by myself," I replied. "I'm not an idiot, Brenda."

"Actually, you are, but we still love you," said Ezra as I rolled my eyes.

"Don't worry, guys. I got my badge and my weapons; nothing is going to happen to me— SHIT!"

I braked and swerved as a huge animal darted out from the trees and onto the road, my headlights illuminating the overly large Wolf before my Jeep careened off the road and into a tree as the airbag blew up in my face. If I was any other normal human being, the force of the airbag exploding in my face would've been enough to knock me unconscious and possibly break a few bones, but I was anything but ordinary.

I sat there for a few moments, stunned. Blood poured from my nose, but aside from that I could tell that I was okay as I groaned, both Ezra and Brenda's panicked voices were enough to snap me out of my reverie as I blindly fumbled around the car for my phone, a string of colorful curse words flowing out of my mouth.

I pushed open the door and stepped out of the car as I scanned the scene, my eyes coming to rest on a huge chocolate brown Wolf that stood only a few feet away from me, his eyes opened wide as he too stared at me. I couldn't help the gasp that came out as I stared at the magnificent creature, his beauty entrancing. And God was he beautiful.

I know what you're thinking right now. Of course, you like Wolves! You're a fucking Werewolf, which was true to some degree, I guess. But while it was true that I liked Wolves, I had never seen a Wolf like this one in my entire life. Werewolves, or Lycanthrope's as we liked to call ourselves, did not consider the Wolf to be one of us. Sure, they were strong and vicious and they were good hunters, but they were not human like we were, which was probably more of a blessing than anything.

But this Wolf, it was— _different, _somehow. I could see it in his eyes. He was intelligent.

And then, as if he too could see that I was more than just a human, he growled at me. Ears flat against his skull, he took a step forward, his razor-sharp teeth bared as he crouched down low as if preparing to attack. It was at that moment that I was convinced he was intelligent because he could see that I was a threat.

Two more Wolves slinked out of the trees as they flanked either side of him, their teeth bared as they snarled at me. The one on the right had short but thick brown fur while the one on the left was a silver-grey color, just as large as the other two but sleeker too as he slinked towards his pack mates, his body tense as he too growled at me, low and threatening.

I considered, briefly, showing them my true Lupine form to scare them away, but I was frozen to the spot as I stared at them, mesmerized. I couldn't look away from the three Wolves that were as big as bears as I grasped my phone tightly, Ezra and Brenda's voices still calling out for me.

I looked at the Wolf closest to me, the silver-grey one. Our eyes met and just like that, he froze. It was strange, the way time seemed to stop around us as we continued to stare at each other, his growls dying in his throat.

The other two Wolves stopped growling as they looked over at him and I could've sworn for a split second that I saw confusion in their all too human eyes as they regarded their packmate. I watched as the silver one, the one that had been staring at me, shook his head as he let out a small, almost indiscernible whimper before he turned tail and bolted into the trees and away from me.

The other two glanced at each other before giving me an unreadable look before they too turned and ran after their friend, leaving me by the side of the road with a totaled Jeep and a bloody nose. Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful.

I placed the phone up to my ear and winced at the panicked, yelling voices that bombarded my eardrums. "Shay! Shay, are you alright? What happened? Was it the werewolf—"

"Oh my God, would you two shut up?" I said with a groan. "I'm fine! I just had a little accident."

Little being the operative word as I gaped at my poor Jeep. The Entire front half was smashed against a tree as smoke rose up from beneath the hood, which I knew was not good. Not good at all.

"No, no, no," I muttered as I bent down to inspect the damage on my baby. "Oh no, not my Jeep. I just finished paying you off!"

Literally. My last car payment had just been sent off like two days ago after years of working and taking out loans, and now this. If I saw that stupid chocolate-covered Wolf again, I was going to kill him. Slowly and painfully.

"What did you hit?" asked Ezra.

"A tree," I replied as I stood up and brushed my knees off, "almost hit a big-ass Wolf, but I swerved. The Wolf is okay, and so am I if you were wondering."

"A Wolf?" he asked, clearly amused.

"Don't. I know what you're going to say."

"I wasn't going to make fun of your furry plight, sister dear," he said as I heard Brenda chuckle in the background.

I groaned, "I'm going to have to call a tow truck now and get my car into a shop for repairs, which could take days. I need my Jeep, guys. It has all of our ammunition and weapons in it, not to mention enough Aconite to drug an entire pack of Werewolves and then some."

"You got Wolfsbane?" asked an impressed Brenda. "That stuff is extremely volatile to Lycanthropes. How'd you manage to get some in your trunk without going berserk?"

I smirked, "I have my ways."

I could hear Ezra's grin from the other side of the phone, and I knew what he was thinking, but I didn't comment on it. "Hey, just hang in there and scope the place out, talk to the locals and the authorities and see what they have to say and get your car fixed. Keep a low profile and don't do anything stupid and don't let anyone blow your cover. We'll be there in a few days."

"Roger, roger," I said before adding; "just hurry up, okay? Don't leave me hanging here by myself for too long. I may be the best, brightest, strongest, and fastest one of us all," I said jokingly, "but I doubt I could hold my own against a rabid Alpha for too long. I need my pack."

"For the strength of the Wolf is the pack, and the strength of the pack is the Wolf," said I and Ezra at the same time, repeating the sacred words of our pack.

He breathed out, "be careful, sis. You may second in command, but right now you're just an omega with no pack around to help you, which makes you vulnerable. An Alpha, even a rabid one, can sense when a Wolf is alone. Don't let him."

And as soon as he said that, the line went dead as I looked up at the sign in front of me that said, The City of Forks Welcomes You!

Well, at least I knew where I was.

**OoO**

**If you liked, don't forget to leave a review so that this story can start off on a good note! Feedback of any type is more than welcome :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Thank you all so much for the reviews. Your feedback is extremely important to me and is critical for the continuation of this fic and I was not disappointed. It sounds like you guys are just as excited as I am for this story and I hope that it will continue to keep your interest!**

**OoO**

_"You are never alone. We are all Wolves, howling to the same moon."_

_-Atticus_

**OoO**

_The Wolf watched from the shadows. Quiet and unseen, he watched the humans go about their day, unaware of the danger that lurked at every corner._

_They were like sheep. Blissfully ignorant as he watched on, preparing for the hunt once more. The taste of the girl was still on his tongue and yet he hungered for more. Hungered to sink his teeth into more flesh. For the blood that would mat his fur and turn his teeth red. Even after devouring his last meal, he still hungered._

_He was cursed to never have his fill, and so he lay in wait for his next kill. _

**OoO**

I suppose now would be a good time to tell you that although I had only been in Forks for a grand total of forty-three minutes, I already hated it here.

Wrapped up in a blanket that had been left on the backseat, I stared out at the little raindrops that had just started to fall as I waited patiently for the police to arrive so that I could file an accident report and hopefully get my car towed to the nearest shop, although I could tell that they were taking their sweet time seeing as time ran differently in small towns like this one. Had I still been in Los Angeles when this happened, I would already be in my bed and my Jeep safely in the shop, but I was not that lucky.

It was two minutes past 1 am when a cop car finally pulled up behind me, his lights flashing as I let out a sigh of relief. A man stepped out as I pulled out my wallet which contained my badge and my credentials before I rolled down the window to face a middle-aged white man with a mustache. He looked tired as if he had been up for hours as he looked at the damage to my car and then to me, his flashlight shining in my eyes as I squinted up at him.

"I'm Officer Swan here to respond to a traffic accident that was reported at 12:16 am this morning. I'm guessing that's you?" he asked as I nodded in confirmation.

"May I please see some identification?" he asked as I pulled out my wallet and flashed him my ID along with my badge that said Bail Enforcement Agent before handing it over to him.

"You're a Bounty Hunter?" he asked in surprise as I nodded.

"I prefer the term Bail Enforcement Agent, but Bounty Hunter works too," I said as he handed me back my credentials before shoving them back into my back pocket. "I just drove up here from a job in Eugene, Oregon."

"Are you on a job?" he asked, suspiciously. I could tell what he was thinking, but I didn't comment on it as I shook my head.

"I'm visiting some friends," I said, leaving no room for further questions.

He nodded, accepting my lie at face value as he nodded towards the dark tinted windows of my Jeep, "are you traveling alone? Is there anyone else in the vehicle?"

"Just me," I said as he nodded before making his way to the front of the car to inspect the damage. I opened the door and stepped out and into the large puddle of rainwater that had accumulated outside of my car, my leather boots splashing water everywhere as I furiously yanked my hood over my head and made my way over to where Officer Swan was crouched down as he looked at the damage to my poor Jeep, his flashlight illuminating the crunched front of my car in the darkness as he let out a low whistle.

"Yeah, you're going to need to get your car towed. You can't drive it like this," he said as he rose from the ground. "What happened?"

"A deer ran out on the road and I braked and swerved," I said, a part of me wishing to protect the beautiful Wolves. I knew they were probably already organizing a hunting party and I didn't want to imagine a bunch of people with guns hunting down and killing any Wolves in the area just because of one Werewolf.

"Yeah we get a lot of accidents involving deer around these parts," he said before adding; "you really shouldn't swerve for a deer. It's better to stay in your lane and brake."

I bobbed my head in understanding, but I internally rolled my eyes. "Spur of the moment. The Deer is fine, though. He ran off with three of his friends."

He nodded nonchalantly, "that's good to hear. You weren't injured in the accident, were you?"

"No," I said as I scratched the back of my head, "the airbag went off, but I wasn't injured. The only damage that was done was to my car."

Thank God my bloody nose had already healed. There was no way I was going to the hospital for an unecessary CT scan.

"I'll go ahead and give Earl, the owner of Forks towing a call. In the meantime, do you have a place to stay tonight or not?"

I nodded, "I booked a room in at the Pinewood Inn in town a few hours earlier. Could you possibly give me a ride there?"

He nodded in confirmation, "go ahead and get your stuff together and we'll put it in my car. Earl will come to pick up your car and take it into the shop and where you can get an estimate tomorrow morning. You will need to fill out an official accident report at the Police Department before you leave town."

"Do you also know where I could possibly get a rental in the meantime?" I asked, not liking the prospect of having my car. I needed a car for my stay here if I was going to do any sort of investigating or tracking and you know if I planned on actually going anywhere in this town while I was here.

"There's a rental place in town. Earl can take you tomorrow after he gives you an estimate and then you can head down to the station too. How long are you in town for?"

I shrugged as I crossed my arms over my chest, "I'm not sure, actually."

I would be staying in town for however long it took to hunt down the monster who had killed Molly, even if it took weeks, but Officer Swan didn't need to know that. But for the foreseeable future, I knew I would be here; investigating and tracking.

Turning away from him, I made my way towards the back and popped open the trunk, relieved that I had all of my weapons and arsenal locked away in their containers so that Officer Swan couldn't see the impressive collection of handguns, rifles, crossbows, Wolfs-bane, and silver arrowheads and bullets that I had stored away in my trunk for such an occasion like this. I pulled the large black cases out with little to no trouble as Officer Swan gaped at the huge containers.

"You're, uh—" he coughed, "you're prepared."

"I'm a Bounty Hunter," I said as I hoisted the containers up, "It comes with the job."

He opened up the back seat as I shoved the containers inside, all three of them before I grabbed my personal duffel bag out of the back seat and tossed it back there before I jumped into the passenger seat, glad to finally be out of the wet rain as I reveled in the hot air from the vent. I mean seriously, it was colder than a witches tit out there. How did these people live in the cold rain all the time?

Officer Swan hopped in the driver's seat before we pulled away from the Jeep, an awkward silence settling in between the two of us as I stared out at the passing trees with tired disinterest as I could feel his eyes on me, analyzing me.

"So," he said after a few minutes on the road, "you said you drove up here from Eugene, Oregon. Is that where you live?"

"No," I said, leaving no room for further questions as I looked around at the interior of the car, my eyes falling on a picture of the Officer and a younger woman in a white wedding dress who I could only guess was his daughter. I looked away, unable to stare at the image any longer as I stared out at the passing trees. I could almost imagine my Wolf hunting in these woods with his pack, running through the trees and—

_Wait, why was I thinking about the Wolf? And since when did he become my Wolf?_

Officer Swan gave me a side glance while he continued to drive, and I could see the wheels turning in his head as I prepared myself for more questions that he might ask me. "So, you're a Bounty Hunter. That's rough work. How long have you been licensed?"

"A couple of years now," I said, fully intending to leave it at that as I kept my eyes trained on the road before us. A few tense moments passed, and I could tell that he was waiting for me to elaborate as I sighed. I usually wasn't the one to engage in small talk unless I was trying to learn something or just bored. I usually left the talking to Ezra, who was far better at picking up on social cues than I was. However, now I was trapped inside of a police car with no one else besides Officer Swan, so I decided to humor him. "I actually graduated from the Police Academy when I was twenty-two, but I didn't start working as a bail bonds Agent until I was twenty-five. That was two years ago."

"You're twenty-seven?" he asked in obvious surprise. For some odd reason, people were usually surprised when they found out how old I was. I mean, I didn't think I looked that young, at least compared to Ezra who was as baby-faced as they came.

"Um, yeah," I said as he shook his head.

"Sorry," he mumbled under his breath, "you just look younger than that."

"Good genetics," I replied as I looked back out at the tree line with a small, sly smile on my lips. Indeed, Lycanthrope genes were far superior to human genes, making us more alluring and enticing to regular humans as well as granting us longevity.

"And what is it that you did before becoming a cop?" he asked as I shrugged.

"I worked as a waitress and then as a bartender for a few years before I decided I wanted to start a career. I graduated from the Academy and I worked for the LAPD before I decided to take up Bounty Hunting," I replied as he nodded in understanding.

"I've never been anything but a cop," he said, more to himself than anything. "I went into the Academy when I was eighteen and that was that."

I nodded, a small smile on my face, "my dad did the same thing."

"Is he why you went to the Academy?" he asked as I looked away and swallowed.

It was true that I went to the Police Academy because of him, wanting to follow in his footsteps in any way that I could. But unfortunately for me, my father's shoes were too large for anyone to fill, myself included.

"Yeah. Something like that."

As if sensing my discomfort, Officer Swan looked away from me and turned his attention back the road, his mouth shut as he asked no more questions. I was thankful when only a few seconds later we entered the actual town of Forks, although the term town was being generous. I was afraid that if I blinked, I would miss it as he pulled into the parking lot of a motel, the words Pinewood Inn glowing on a neon sign that looked ready to tilt over and fall at the slightest breeze.

"This is it?" I asked, aghast. The pictures on the internet had not done this place justice. You know that feeling when you go to an online dating site and you find someone who looks decent but then you meet up with them in real life and they've got no teeth and a unibrow? Yeah, that was how I was feeling staring at this place.

"Yep," said Officer Swan. "Do you need help with your bags or—?"

"I'm good," I grumbled as I opened the door and stepped out into the rain. He stepped out and opened the back door for me as I hauled my bags along with my cases out of the back, muttering a string of curses as the rain completely soaked me. He helped me haul my bags into the front office, which appeared to be completely abandoned save for a Siamese cat that was lounging on the front desk. As soon as I entered, the cat perked up, his large eyes coming to rest on me as it hissed, its fur sticking up as it put its tail between its legs.

Officer Swan looked between the cat and me as he raised an amused eyebrow, "I don't think she likes you very much."

"Cat's usually don't," I replied as I ignored the hissing feline and hit the bell on the desk. I sighed as I looked around at the small room, noting the tons of cheap artwork that hung on the walls. I ran a hand through my wet, shoulder-length brown hair and hit the bell again when no one came, my patience already wearing thin at that point.

"Yeah, yeah I heard you the first time," came an annoyed voice as an older lady limped into the room, her beady like eyes falling on both me and Officer Swan as she looked between the two of us. "Room for two then?"

My ears turned pink as Officer Swan near choked on his own spit behind me as he coughed. I shook my head, "uh, no. I— I called earlier. I'm Shay Collins? I need a room _for one, _please."

"Hmm," she said as she turned away and clicked away at her computer disinterestedly. "Oh yeah, here you are. One reservation for Shay Collins. That'll be $120."

My eyes nearly bugged out of my skull at the price. A nice hotel certainly would've been worth that amount, but for this place? No way.

"Is that per night?" I asked, shocked.

She nodded as I shook my head in disbelief.

"You said it would be $60 a night when I spoke with you on the phone!" I said, my tone accusing as she narrowed her eyes beady eyes at me.

"I said prices are subject to change," she replied before adding; "but if you don't want a room—"

"Look here Lady—" I said as I leaned in real close to the counter, preparing to rip her a new one as Officer Swan shifted his weight behind me before clearing his throat. I glanced back at him, realizing that he was still standing there. If he hadn't been there, I would've totally torn into the lady. Not physically, of course. I would never physically harm a human being, but I was not beyond giving them a piece of my mind. But with Officer Swan standing awkwardly behind me with all my luggage, clearly tired and clearly wanting to go home and go to bed, I decided that it wasn't worth it.

"You know what, fine," I grumbled as I pulled out my wallet and threw a wad of cash at her, much to her delight as she took it and stuffed it down her bra, much to my horror.

"Excellent," she said as she handed me a pair of keys. "You're in room 102. Please do enjoy your stay at the Pinewood Inn."

I took the keys from here before grabbing my luggage and making my back into the pouring rain. I found room 102 easily enough as I unlocked it and flicked on the light only to be met with a plethora of aromas that were none too pleasant as I tried not to gag, my hand coming over my nose as I tried to breathe out of my mouth instead.

Seriously, sometimes it sucked having a super schnoz.

I turned back to see Charlie deposit my bags onto the floor before he looked around the room, clearly not impressed with it either as he placed his hands on his hips and looked at me.

"It's— it's not too bad," he tried to reassure me as I snorted, my eyes falling on a water stain just above the moldy curtains.

"No, it's not. I'll live," I said as he nodded. "Thank you, for helping me tonight. I really appreciate it."

He tipped his head at me, "you're welcome, ma'am. Earl should have your Jeep in the shop already. He'll be by tomorrow at eight to pick you up and take you there. And once that's done, drop by the station we'll get the paperwork squared away."

"Sure thing," I said as I watched him turn to leave. "Thanks again, Officer Swan."

"You can call me Charlie and—" he turned to look at me once more, "if I didn't say it earlier, welcome to Forks."

And with that he closed the door behind him, leaving me by myself as I turned to stare at my moldy, smelly surroundings with a critical eye. This was it. I was here and there was no turning back now. I just prayed to the Goddess Selene I hadn't made a mistake in coming here alone.

**OoO**

I was woken out of the dead of sleep by my phone buzzing on the nightstand. I cracked a tired eye open and groaned when I saw that it was 6 am, far too early for anyone to be trying to get a hold of me as I grabbed my phone and pressed the ignore button.

I burrowed even further under the covers and closed my eyes only for my phone to start buzzing again. I groaned as I sat up, blindly reaching over my phone as I pressed the accept button.

"What?" I asked, annoyed to have been rudely awakened from my sleep.

Someone breathed on the other end as my eyes widened. Honestly, I shouldn't be surprised. I knew Mason would try to get a hold of me once he cooled off.

"Mason?" I asked as I sat up straight.

"Shay," he breathed out. I could hear the anger lacing his tone and I cringed. Oh boy, here we go again. "Where are you?"

"Uh, Forks Washington?" I replied.

There was a moment of silence before all hell broke loose.

"I gave you an order," he growled, "you were supposed to wait for us! What the fuck were you thinking?"

His voice was loud and beyond angry, which was actually pretty common for Mason. My half-Uncle had a serious temper on him which had only escalated as soon as he became Alpha. After having lived with him for years, I knew how to handle his angry outbursts better than either Ezra and Brenda.

"I was closer than you guys—"

"You think I care?" he asked before adding; "do you know how much danger you've put yourself in?"

"I'm not actively hunting it," I said, defensively. "I'm only scoping the place out until you guys get here. And last time I checked, Mason, I can handle myself. I am after all a Law Enforcement Agent, unlike you. What is it that you do again? Oh, that's right. You're a mechanic."

"Watch it, Shay." I could practically hear him seething from the other end.

"Well, it's true—"

"This isn't some person who missed their court date and skipped out of town," he fired back. "This is a Werewolf, Shay. And not just any Werewolf, a rabid man-eating Alpha. He's stronger and more powerful than you'll ever be and you know that and if he finds you— if he finds out you're there alone, he'll rip you to pieces."

"I know!" I replied as I ran an agitated hand through my hair. "Okay? I know what will happen if he finds me, but I have to do something! He's killing innocent humans and eating them, Mason. Not only are we bound by oath to the Goddess to hunt him down and kill him, but we also have to take care of this before the Volturi find out."

We had lived in hiding ever since the Vampire's had nearly wiped our kind out hundreds of years ago and during that time while we had regrown our numbers, we had done everything with our power to remain unnoticed. We did not want the Volturi finding out that we still lived, even now centuries after the Vampire/Werewolf war that had ravaged our numbers. Of course, there had been slip-ups even after, the most famous example being the Beast of Gévaudan which had been killed by a human hunter named Jean Chastel.

"I doubt the Volturi would even care anymore," sneered Mason. "All they do is sit on their thrones and stink all of Volterra up with their filth. I mean, they certainly didn't care about Gévaudan."

"Because they're foolish," I replied. "They think they drove us into extinction and that we no longer exist. Let's ensure that they keep believing that narrative."

He sighed, "you're right. We need to stop him, but we need to do it as a pack. And you need to understand your place, Shay. You're my beta. You may be second in command, but you still follow my orders. Is that clear?"

"Yes," I replied as I acquiesced to him. I couldn't help it. He was my Alpha and I was bound to him and according to our most ancient of traditions, his words were law. If we had been living even just a few centuries earlier, my disobedience could've cost me my life. Even now that we had assimilated into the human world, we were still bound to our pack and to our Alphas.

"Good," he replied. "What's happening there? Have you noticed anything since you arrived?"

I yawned as I pushed the curtains aside and stared out at the gloomy scene, "I just got in a few hours ago and I haven't been able to do much. I wrecked my Jeep on the road and had to call a tow truck. The Chief of Police gave me a lift to the hotel, but no. There's not much to report other than the weather, which is rainy and gloomy as fuck by the way. I would bring an umbrella if I were you."

"Did the Chief say anything?" he pressed as I shook my head.

"I wanted to ask him questions, but I thought that might raise suspicion. I'm going into the Police Station in a few hours to fill out an accident report. I'll try to find out everything I can while I'm there."

"And your Jeep?" he asked as I lowered myself back onto the bed.

"I hit a tree after a Wolf ran out onto the road."

"A Wolf?" he asked. I could hear the suspicion in his voice as I shook my head.

"It's not what you think," I said as I thought back to the beautiful silver colored Wolf with brown eyes. "It was just a Wolf."

It was not _just _a Wolf. There was something about those Wolves that was— unsettling to say the least. I knew enough about Wolves to know that normal, regular Wolves didn't grow that large. Those Wolves had been the size of bears for Christ's sake! However, it was certain that they weren't Lycanthropes. There were three forms that a Lycan could take and the ability to actually turn into a Wolf was extremely rare, but even then no Lycan who could turn into a Wolf was that large.

The other two forms that a Lycan could take were half-Lupine forms, one was a bit milder than the other. The third form, however, was the stuff of nightmares. My father had once described it as a Satanic amalgamation of both man and beast. I had never seen the third form with my own eyes, but I had heard stories from those who had.

The third form was cursed. Reserved only for Lycan's who had left behind their human side and totally embraced the beast, their hunger for human flesh insatiable. That's why that form was cursed. Because once a Werewolf took it, there was no going back.

"Shay?" asked Mason as I was pulled out of my reverie. "Are you there? Earth to Shay—"

"Yeah," I said. "Sorry, I was just thinking."

"About the Wolf?" he asked as I shook my head.

"It was just a Wolf," I replied. "A large one, albeit, but a Wolf nonetheless. I doubt it's killed and eaten anybody recently."

"Unless you can't your car as a victim. Didn't you just finish paying that off?"

I sighed as I pinched the bridge of my nose, "don't remind me."

"Your insurance will cover it, right?" he asked as my eyes widened as I heard him clear his throat on the other end. "You did call the insurance company, right?"

"Shit," I muttered under my breath. "No, I gotta do that today. Thanks for reminding me."

"Sounds like you have a lot to do today," he said. "I'll call you once we're on the road. Keep me updated on what you find and I know it's asking a lot, but could you not do anything stupid until we get there?"

I rolled my eyes, "I'll try my hardest, but no promises. I'll see you soon."

**OoO**

I think there comes a moment in everyone's life when they realize that they've made a huge mistake and for me, that moment was now.

Staring down at the contents of my suitcase, I realized two things. Number one, Los Angeles and Forks had completely different weather systems and number two, I had no warm clothes because I lived in a state that was currently in the middle of a drought and had no idea what water from the sky even looked like.

Fuck.

Sighing, I pulled out a pair of dark wash jeans along with a black tank top before tossing my lucky burgundy colored leather jacket on, warm enough to at least keep me somewhat warm but not enough to protect me from the torrential downpour.

It was a good thing that I wasn't planning on staying in Forks for very long. Once this Werewolf was taken care of, I was going to put this place as far in my rearview mirror as possible.

I looked at my reflection in the mirror as I ran comb hastily through my pin-straight shoulder-length brown hair, grumbling at the large bags under my tired eyes. I looked like absolute shit, but there was nothing more I could to improve it as I decided to forego makeup today. The rain would just wash it all off and I quite frankly didn't care what I looked like. I mean, who was I trying to impress? Officer Swan? Yeah, no.

Earl, the owner of Forks Towing Inc., was there at eight o'clock as promised to pick me up. He was an older guy with a crooked nose and even more crooked teeth, but he was friendly as he opened the door to his car for me before making his way over to the driver's seat. He drove me to his shop where he showed me my poor Jeep.

"You hit that tree real good, but the good news is that the damage was mostly superficial," he said before adding; "the engine is going to need a few repairs, but nothing drastic. Your car should be up in a week's time. Maybe a week and a half if I need to order parts."

"That's good," I said, relieved. "I still need to call my insurance company. How much do you think this will cost?"

He shook his head, "hard to tell right now. As I said, I may need to order parts, so I can't say for sure right now. You got good insurance, right?"

I nodded, "I have insurance through my job. I work for the State of California as a Bail Enforcement Agent."

"Then you should be covered," he said. "You shouldn't worry about anything, Ms. Collins. Your car will be up and running in no time."

I smiled at him, "that's good news, thank you."

He drove me to the car rental place in town and waited until I had a new car to drive before he bid me farewell. From there, I drove to the Police Station and parked my new 2009 Volvo, which was not as nice as my Jeep but it would have to do. I parked before making my way into the building, which was practically empty save for a young-looking Officer who was behind the counter. I could tell that he was just a Rookie, fresh out of the Academy as I glanced at his name tag that said _Brenton. _He looked bored as he drank his coffee and watched the news as I sauntered up to the front desk.

He straightened himself up as soon as he saw me. "Morning, ma'am. How can I help you?"

"I need to fill out an accident report," I said as I set my keys and wallet down on the counter. "I was involved in a one-car accident last night after I nearly hit a deer. Chief Swan picked me up and drove me into town, but I still need to fill out the paperwork. Is he here?"

He shook his head, "not at the moment, ma'am. Most of our Officers are out today."

Out probably trying to hunt down a Wolf, but I didn't say that as I nodded.

"Perhaps you can help me then, Officer Brenton," I said with a small, yet alluring smile.

"O— of course," he said, flustered. I watched as he reached under the counter and pulled out the paperwork before handing it over to me. "Just fill that out and hand it back to me when you're done."

"Sure thing," I said, still smiling at him as I sauntered over to the empty seats in the lobby and began the tedious process of filing the paperwork out. I made sure to steal a few glances at the kid behind the desk as I non-verbally flirted with him. If there is one thing that you should know about me, it's that I always have a motive and that motive as of right now was information. I could see Brenton was young, naïve even. I could easily get information out of him, if not now then later if I played my cards right.

Once I was done, I rose from my seat and walked back over to him before handing him the paperwork. "There, is that it?"

"Looks like it," he said as he thumbed through the papers, satisfied. "Is there anything else I can help you with today, ma'am."

I glanced at his coffee, an idea forming in my head.

"Actually, there is," I said as I leaned in, "may I please use your restroom?"

"Sure," he replied as he pointed behind him, "it's just down the hall and the right. You can't miss it."

Perfect.

"Thank you," I said as I made my way down the hall, but instead of turning right, I turned left. I snooped around the empty Police Department, my eyes and ears open for anyone as I made my way into what I presumed was Charlie's office. I looked around the room, my eyes coming to rest of a case file that had been left behind as I carefully picked it up and opened it only to be met with the gruesome photographs that had been taken of poor Molly, her tiny little body completely mutilated beyond recognition as I felt my heart clench at the sight.

Her face was gone, eaten away at until there was nothing left but bone. Her throat had also been ripped out and so had her heart and there were long, deep claw marks on her torso and legs. I couldn't help but look at her school image, a smiling happy little girl staring back at me as I closed my eyes and inhaled deeply.

I flipped through the gruesome images before I came across the Police report as well as the evidence log at the crime scene. They had found articles of Molly's clothing and on that clothing they had found animal hairs that they had sent off to the lab for testing. They wanted to know what kind of Wolf did this, but I knew that the genetic testing would only raise more questions than it did answers. When that report did come back, they were going to find out that the Wolf that did this doesn't belong to any known species in the canine family.

I shook my head as I scanned the file, hoping to find a coroner's report, but apparently, they had yet to finish the autopsy down at the County Morgue as I thumbed through the evidence log. Setting the file back down, I glanced out towards the front where Brenton was too busy playing on his phone to realize what I was up to as I made my way towards the evidence room, which had been foolishly left unlocked.

It was, apparently, my lucky day.

I entered into the dark, cold room as the lights flickered on. I stared at the rows upon rows of archived evidence as I searched for Molly's evidence, which I found a few moments later. Her clothing was still at the forensics lab, but her backpack remained untouched with all of her books and homework that would never be finished still in it. I was careful not to touch anything as I leaned forward and sniffed, my senses catching onto the familiar scent of a Werewolf.

Except I could tell that there was something different about this scent. While most Werewolves like myself had an enticing scent, this Werewolf had a disgusting scent. You know when you go to the Zoo and you breathe in the wonderful smell of animal filth? Yeah, it smelled like that, only ten times worse.

I couldn't help but gag as I stood up and brushed my pant leg off, all of the hairs in my nose officially dead as I made my way out of the evidence room and towards the bathroom where I locked myself in there before texting my pack.

_I managed to catch its scent, _I typed before adding; _I'm at the Police Station now._

_What else did you find? _Asked Brenda as I shook my head.

_Not much. They found hairs. Testing them now. Where are you guys?_

_On the road, _replied Ezra. _Mason says don't follow it on your own._

I rolled my eyes, _wasn't planning on it. _

There was a knock on the bathroom door as Brenton called. "You okay in there?"

I swallowed, "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be out soon!"

"Okay," he said before meandering off. I gulped as I stared back down at my phone.

_Mason says you should research the other killings, _typed Brenda. _The news was saying that four people are dead because of an animal mauling in the area. Find out what you can about those and keep us posted. We'll be there sometime tomorrow morning._

I could do that. Easy.

_Okay, _I replied before I pocketed my phone and flushed the empty toilet. I turned on the faucet for a few seconds before making my way out.

"Thank you so much," I said to Brenton before adding; "I'm sorry to bother you again, but do you know a good coffee shop in town that has wifi?"

He gave me directions to the nearest Starbucks as I thanked him once more. I exited the Department and was more than half-way down the steps when I accidentally ran into a brick wall. Or at least that's what it felt like as I stumbled back, trying to regain my footing as gracefully as possible.

"I'm so sorry—" I began to say as I looked up at the man I had just run into, but the words quickly died on my tongue as I stared up at a freakishly tall and very handsome man. I couldn't help but stare into his dark brown eyes that were flecked with green and gold. I had never seen eyes like his before and I had to say, I was mesmerized. He froze as soon as he saw me as if there was an invisible force holding him at bay. Maybe I was imagining it, but I swore that in that precise moment of time, it wasn't gravity holding either one of us down.

I stared up at him for God knows how long, my neck craned to stare up at him, the feeling of his breath warm on my skin. Now, you should probably know that I am not by any means short. I stand at 5'9, but compared to him I was practically a midget.

"Paul?" came another voice. "You alright, man?"

As much I hated too, I looked away from the one named Paul and looked over at his friend, who was just as tall and muscular as he was. They were both tanned, obviously of Native American descent. The other one furrowed his eyebrows at me before his eyes widened as if in understanding.

Understanding of what?

"I—I'm sorry," I said, swallowing, "I didn't see you there."

And with that, I pushed past the both of them and down the steps towards where my car was parked, fighting off the intense urge to look back at _him. _I could feel their eyes on me, watching me as I got into my car and drove away.

**OoO**

**Coming Next: **Sam calls a pack meeting and Paul gets to experience what imprinting is like for himself.

AN: Comment and tell me what you thought and or would like to see as readers. I value all of your opinions, so don't be afraid to share them!


	3. Chapter 3

_"There are many soulmates, but only one can understand the howling of your heart."_

_-L.L._

**OoO**

_"Tragedy has struck the small town of Forks Washington as the search for missing eight-year-old Molly Anderson came to an abrupt end last night only hours after she was reported missing by family members. Her body was discovered on a remote hiking trail about a half-mile from where she was last seen getting off the school bus yesterday by local authorities. According to the County Sheriff's Office, her death appears to have been the result of an animal attack, one in a string of grisly attacks that have swept through the Olympic Peninsula. We turn now to our chief correspondent Ken Richard's who is on the scene. Ken, what can you tell us about these animal attacks?"_

The scene on the television switched from the female reporter to a man in a black suit and a tan trench coat surrounded by police. He stood in front of the woods with an umbrella.

_"Thanks, Gina," _he said as everyone in the small diner stared up at the small television set that hung over the counter. Sue Clearwater, who had been in the middle of pouring Paul another cup of coffee paused before hastily grabbing the remote off the counter and turning the volume up as loud as it would go. _"Right now, I am on the scene of where yet another grisly mauling has just taken place in the State of Washington, one of many strange animal attacks that have occurred throughout the area within the past few weeks leaving at least four dead and two in critical condition. Eyewitness accounts from the survivors on these maulings have stated that it appeared to be some sort of rabid wolf, which does seem to corroborate with the testimony of local farmers in Clallam County who claimed to have seen a large wolf-like creature attack their livestock, ripping out their throats and their hearts as well. Now, whether this wolf is the same one that is responsible for the human deaths, including that of Molly Anderson, remains unknown. Joining us after our scheduled break is Director Bob Seaworth of the Department of Fish and Wildlife here to explain to us the situation more in-depth as well as any plans on locating and hunting down this man-eating wolf before any more innocent lives, like that of Molly, are lost."_

_"Thank you, Ken. I can't imagine that the town of Forks will ever be the same after this tragic loss as the community grieves for one of their own today. Forks Elementary School will be holding a candlelight vigil in memoriam of Molly tomorrow night in which all are invited to attend. For more information on how to survive a wild animal attack, please visit our website at—"_

Paul and the rest of them finally turned from the screen as Sue Clearwater shook her head in dismay. "How awful! I can't imagine the pain her poor family is going through! What sort of animal would do something like that?"

"They said it was a man-eating Wolf," muttered Embry under his breath as he dipped a fry into his ketchup. "I don't know about you guys, but I've never heard of a Wolf ever doing anything like that before now."

"Because they don't," replied Paul as he threw a wad of cash down on the table, enough to pay for his, Embry's, and Leah's food before he rose from his seat. "Come on, we need to find Sam and the others before a bunch of crazy nutjobs with guns start scouring the woods for a man-eating Wolf."

"Cause that's exactly what we need at the moment," muttered Leah as she pushed her salad away from her and rose from her seat, "a bunch of idiots with big guns and even bigger egos on our lands."

Leah bid her mother farewell before following Paul, Embry still seated as he desperately tried to finish off as much of his half-eaten burger as possible before he quickly downed it with the rest of his Pepsi and rose from his seat, following Paul and Leah out of the diner.

News of the man-eating Wolf had spread like wildfire, hence why the entire Wolf pack was converged in the woods behind Sam and Emily's house for an emergency pack meeting, all of them on edge about what this meant for both Forks and for La Push.

_"How did we miss this?" _asked Quil through the pack bond, his worry felt by everyone as he thought of Claire, who was the same age as the girl who had just died. _"Our patrols should've picked something up!"_

_"Nevermind that," _added Leah, _"do you know what this will mean for us? Now everyone in the whole damned state is going to want to hunt this stupid Wolf down! The County Sheriff's Department and the Department of Wildlife are talking about deputizing a posse to hunt down all the Wolves in this region! That includes us!"_

_"They can't! Not on our lands!"_

_"Charlie won't let them!"_

_"What's a posse?"_

_"What do we do if they start hunting on the Reservation?"_

_"What if—"_

_"That's enough!" _barked Sam, his voice loud enough to break through the chorus of worried and panicked thoughts of the pack. _"I know you guys are worried, but we need to stay calm and keep focused. The Elders will not allow anyone to hunt on our lands, period."_

_"What about patrols?" _asked Paul. _"We can't continue to patrol around Forks if they're going to have hunting parties looking for this thing."_

_"But we can't stop patrolling there," _replied Seth before adding; _"the people of Forks need us too, maybe now more than ever. A little girl is dead."_

_"Agreed," _said Sam. _"That's why we'll be increasing patrols both here and around Forks. Three of you will be permanently assigned to patrol around Forks while the rest of you patrol around here. We'll need to be careful and everyone will need to stay alert for humans in the area and avoid them at all costs."_

_"But what about the Wolf?" _asked Embry as he stepped forward. _"Shouldn't we try to hunt it down ourselves before anyone else gets killed?"_

A chorus of agreement surged throughout the entire pack as Paul made his own opinion on the matter clear; _"our duty is to the Reservation first and foremost. If this thing wonders onto our land and kills someone here, then that's on us."_

_"So what are you suggesting?" _asked Sam as Paul stepped forward.

_"We hunt it down and kill it," _he said, snarling. _"I volunteer to track it down before any more lives are lost."_

_ "I volunteer as well," _said Quil as he came to stand next to Paul, his thoughts on protecting his imprint. _"I'll go with Paul."_

_"I didn't ask for your help," _sneered Paul as Quil rolled his eyes. _"I can handle it on my own."_

_"Just accept my help and shut up Paul," _replied Quil as Jared stepped forward.

_"I'm the best tracker of all of us," _said Jared, his thoughts also on his own imprint. _"I'll go with Paul and Quil and see if I can pick its scent up."_

Paul was about to protest when Sam nodded in agreement, clearly pleased with the abilities of the volunteer group. _"Go to Forks, but be careful. The woods are full of Rangers and hunters. Make sure no one sees you. Stay in range of the pack mind and report everything you see. Is that clear?"_

All three of them bobbed their heads in agreement before darting into the woods, running as fast as their legs could carry them to Forks. They ran until they reached the area where Molly's body was found, the scene itself still blocked off by the authorities as CSI's, Police, Wildlife Rangers, and Reporters were still working the scene. Paul watched quietly from the shadows as they did their job, yellow tape sectioning off the area where the girl's body was found, the smell of which still lingered in the air like a bad stench. Even though the body was long gone, loaded into a car and taken to the Morgue, he could still smell death in the air and it was beyond disconcerting.

While he watched, Quil and Jared ran around the perimeter, getting as close as they could while also taking care not to be noticed as they tried to lock onto the scent as much they could. The rain had washed a lot of it away, making it harder for them to pick it up.

After about twenty minutes, they left to search the woods around Forks, the sun beginning to dip low on the horizon as they ran. When they finally did catch a scent, it was a faint, diminished both by the passage of time as well as the rainfall. They followed it towards Forks, and then when they found something weird.

And by weird, what Paul meant was down-right freaky.

_"Uh, guys?" _called out Quil, his thoughts a jumble of confusion and uncertainty. _"I think— I think you guys should take a look at this."_

Jared trotted over to where an ansty Quil was circling around a large patch of mud, _"what'd you find— Holy Shit! What the fuck is that?!"_

_"What?" _asked Paul as he too made his way over to where they stood, _"what is it?"_

Restless, Quil began to paw at the ground as he nodded towards the ground, _"look."_

At first, Paul had no idea what it was they were both looking at, but as soon as he saw it he too felt a cold shiver run through him like an electric current as he stared at the huge paw prints, his eyes wide and his mouth open in shock.

_"Those— those are too large to be ours," _thought Jared bleakly before adding; _"what sort of animal—?"_

_"They're not Wolf prints," _thought Quil, his voice barely above that of a whisper. _"They don't look right and they're way bigger than ours…"_

Paul didn't know what to think as he stared down at the strange tracks. They almost looked like Wolf tracks, but there was something— _wrong _with them. They resembled a Wolf print, but there was something distinctly human about them too as if it were a strange amalgamation of the two. He had never seen anything like it before in his entire life. None of them had.

_"That's not possible," _thought Paul, adamantly. In Wolf form, the Quileute Wolves were the size of bears, far larger than the average North American Wolf. But these tracks? They were far larger than anything Paul had ever seen in his entire life and as far as any of them were concerned, they were the largest animals around. _"It's not possible. It's not—"_

_"Paul," s_napped Quil, _"look at them. They're too legitimate to be fake."_

_"Maybe they belong to a bear?" _added Jared as he tried to sound hopeful, but even he knew that them being bear tracks was just wishful thinking. Bear tracks didn't look that either.

_"No," _said Paul as he shook his head, _"no bear paw looks like that."_

_"Maybe we should follow them?" _suggested Quil as Jared and Paul shared an uneasy glance. _"See where they lead?"_

Hesitantly, they began to follow the tracks, taking care not to ruin them as they followed them through the woods. They followed them for a half-mile before something truly bizarre began to change. The tracks were beginning to change in size and shape, growing smaller and smaller with every step until there in the mud was a set of two distinct and v_ery human _footprints.

And that's when all three of them turned tail and ran.

**OoO**

Words were unable to describe the full extent of the panic and confusion that either one of them was feeling as they hauled ass back to La Push, the bond between them a chaotic mess as they made their way back to the pack to report their strange and terrifying discovery.

_ "What was that? What the fuck—"_

_"…human! They were human!"_

_"…it has to be a joke! It's not possible—"_

Looking back, Paul couldn't quite remember what happened next, the sequence of events from finding the tracks and running off were fuzzy. Maybe it was the panic or maybe it was just a lack of situational awareness. He wasn't sure, but what he did know was that what happened next changed everything.

Quil, being the moron he was, ran onto the road without looking both ways for cars. Paul watched as a black Jeep swerved to avoid the giant Wolf, braking hard as it skidded across the asphalt.

_'Quil!" _shouted Jared as Quil stood frozen to his spot, much like a deer in the headlights. He didn't move as all three of them watched the Jeep plow into a tree with a sickening crunch. Paul could tell that the accident was bad from where he stood in the treeline. He was, after all, a Mechanic and he knew a bad accident when he saw one. He knew that there was probably a good chance that the driver was injured, or worse.

_"Quil," _hissed Paul, _"come on. We need to call for help!"_

_"Oh my God," _thought Quil as he began to fidget. _"Are they okay?"_

_"We don't know—" _began Jared as the car door swung open. All three of them watched as a woman stepped out, her boots hitting the water with a big splash as she scanned the scene in front of her before coming to rest on Quil, who was still frozen to the spot as Paul and Jared shared a glance.

_"Come on, Quil," _hissed Jared, trying to coax him back to where they were. _"She's fine. Let's go."_

_"Her scent—" _began Quil as he sniffed the air. _"Don't you guys smell that?"_

_"Quil I swear to God—" _began Paul before he too froze as soon as her scent hit him, the fur on his back rising as his instincts kicked in. He didn't know why or how, but his instincts were telling him that she was a threat.

As if sensing his thoughts, Quil crouched down low into a defensive position and began to growl at her, his teeth bared and his fur sticking straight up. Usually, the sight of a large growling Wolf would be enough to scare anyone away, but not her. She stood her ground as she watched Quil, unfazed or scared by his aggressive behavior as both Paul and Jared slinked out of the trees to join their packmate, the both of them growling at the woman with their teeth bared. They knew she wasn't a Vampire, but she wasn't human either.

_"What is she?" _thought Jared as they watched the woman clutch her phone tightly, two frantic voices calling out for on the other end, but even then, there was no fear in her eyes. Only fascination.

_"I don't know," _replied Paul, still growling at her, _"but she's not human."_

As if sensing that he was thinking about her, she turned her gaze on him, their eyes meeting for the first time as Paul felt gravity shift. There were no words to accurately describe the feeling as Paul stared into her warm, brown eyes, unable to look away as he felt his entire world turn upside down in a matter of seconds. For years he had watched as his fellow pack mates imprinted one by one, felt their emotions through the pack bond as they looked into the eyes of their other half. And every time Paul had witnessed it, he had prayed to God that it would never happen to him. Nothing, and he meant nothing in his entire life had prepared him for this.

_"Paul?" _asked Quil as he glanced at Paul, his growl dying in his throat as he felt the force of his pack mates emotions. _"Did you just—?"_

_"He did," _added Jared as they both gaped at him.

_"No," _thought Paul as he began to shake his head in disbelief, his voice cracking as the horror of what had just happened settled in. _"No, this isn't happening—"_

_"I think it just did," _added Quil as Paul pawed at the ground, restless. He hadn't wanted to imprint in the first place, always feeling pity for those who did, glad that it wasn't him. He had thought, after all these years, that he might be one of the lucky ones. He had thought that it would never happen to him.

_"Dude, are you alright?" _asked Jared as Paul tore his eyes from her and ran off, unable to look at the woman anymore without feeling anger over what had just happened. He didn't even fucking know her and yet he was bound to her like some fucking slave. He hated it. Absolutely hated it, and yet there was not a single thing he could do about it.

_"And another one bites the dust," _thought Quil, grimly as both he and Jared looked back at the strange, woman who they knew was not human before taking off after an angry and confused Paul.

**OoO**

**AN: You guys are awesome with the comments. Thank you so much! **

**Coming Next: Coffee, research, and a chance encounter. **


	4. Chapter 4

_"__Gravity explains the motions of planets, but it cannot explain who sets the planets in motion."_

_-Isaac Newton_

**OoO**

When I was in school one of the first things, we learned in science class was about gravity. An unseeing force that moved the entire cosmos. Planets, stars, and moons alike. You can't see it, touch it, or taste it, but it is always present, keeping you grounded. That was the law of gravity; one single law to govern the entire cosmos and it was beautiful.

But when the natural order of things is disrupted, even in the tiniest of ways then chaos ensues.

Now, before I continue, I should probably tell you that I never paid much attention in science class or any classes for that matter. I hated school growing up and by the time I was in high school, I regularly skipped out on classes altogether. I didn't really see the point then in wasting my time sitting at a desk and listening to teachers drone on and on about topics that I didn't care much for. Contrary to what you're probably thinking right now, I wasn't a bad kid. I wasn't dumb either and I knew that getting an education was important for stability and success. School was just never my gig.

However, for some odd reason that I could never quite explain, the concept of gravity stuck with me. The idea that there was just one, single law to govern the entire cosmos was something so— _foreign _to me and mindboggling and yet, at the same time, so simple to understand and if there is one thing in this world or the next that I can appreciate, it's simplicity in the chaos that is our lives. What goes up must come down is something that everyone universally can understand even if they don't know what gravity is per se. The idea of order within chaos was appealing to me, especially after everything around me came crashing down.

Before my parents died, we had a good life. We had love and stability, everything my brother and I needed to survive and thrive in the world we lived in. My mother was kind and loving, slow to anger and always full of compassion while my father was wise and quick with a joke. It was my father who taught me and Ezra how to survive in the world we lived in, how to control ourselves and how to recognize and fight our inner demons. He instilled in us values and ethics, that of which are still with us today. Things were so much simpler then; before my parents died and my life turned to shit.

Ever since then, I had done a careful job of trying to put order back into my life. Bit by bit until I had rearranged the scattered pieces of my life and of course, I was damned proud of all I managed to accomplish over the years. I liked order; I didn't like chaos.

Which was why bumping into the man at the Police Station had put on me edge the entire day.

Sitting at a table in the Starbucks with my laptop in front of me and my headphones plugged and with a cup of hot coffee in my hands, I tried not to think about him as I bobbed my head to the music, trying hard to focus on the slew of articles I had found on the internet. I was doing research, trying to locate more information about our very own Lycaon on the web, searching for more clues and evidence and trying so damn hard not to think about _him. _

_And by him, I meant Paul. _

I couldn't stop thinking about him. And by that, I don't mean _omg he's so dreamy! _Let me be clear, I don't really pay a lot of attention to men outside of my pack or my coworkers. I don't date anymore, nor do I even entertain the thought of it. I am single by choice and I prefer it like that. So no, I do not sit for hours after meeting a man thinking about him or ogling him. I hunt men… Well, criminals if you want to get technical and during all my years on the job as well as my years waitressing and bartending, I've learned a thing or two about men and how they think. So no, I wasn't sitting there drinking coffee and daydreaming about how beautiful his eyes were or how bulging his muscles were— although I do have to admit he did have some nice muscle definition…

_Oh my God, I totally am daydreaming about him, _I thought with a horrible realization before mentally scolding myself.

I drank the rest of my coffee as I focused my attention back to my research. I had been browsing through several different news articles for the past few hours, scouring over them like a hawk, looking for any minor detail that might shed some light on exactly what was going on around here. And I found, much to my surprise, that the trail of terror this Werewolf had left behind actually originated in Astoria when several farmers in the area had reported their livestock being killed in strange ways, their throats and hearts ripped out. While this Werewolf may have killed animals to stave his cravings, somewhere along the way the line between animal and human became blurred. After all, what is the difference to a hungry, rabid Werewolf when in the end it's all just meat? And according to our history, once a Werewolf gets a taste for human flesh— well, let's just say there is no coming back from that.

Including Molly, there was now a grand total of five victims. A young woman who was last seen leaving a popular night club in Seattle early in the morning, a male hiker in Clallam County, an elderly man in Aberdeen, and finally Molly in Forks. And as of last night, there was another victim. This one, unlike the others, had not been directly attacked or eaten, but had been with the hiker and had been injured in the attack. She had run onto a nearby road screaming for help, injured and bloodied. She was picked up my medical services and taken to the hospital while the police combed the woods where her brothers mutilated and partially eaten body had been left. She fell into a coma and passed away early this morning due to complications, bringing the actual number of victims to five. And I knew with certainty that there would be more, and soon.

I quickly skimmed through the rest of the article as the door opened and two elderly ladies walked in, both soaked from the torrential downpour as they shook themselves off and ordered their drinks. I glanced at them briefly before returning to my research, but as the two women sat down at a table across from me, I couldn't help but pick up on their conversation with my enhanced hearing.

"…the poor family. I can only imagine what they're going through, losing Molly like that. She was their only child you know," said one of the women as she sipped her coffee.

"They canceled school today so that they could plan out the service. It's going to be held on the football field last I heard," said the other woman as she shook her head.

I glanced at them again, my interest piqued in whatever it was they were discussing. Something about a memorial service for Molly.

"Are you planning on attending?"

One of the women nodded, "I go to church with the family and my granddaughter was classmates with her, so we'll be attending. Anything to show support for that poor family."

"When is it?"

"It's at six."

I tuned out to the rest of their conversation as I glanced at the time on my phone before finishing my coffee and gathering my belongings. I stood up and made my way out of the shop, grimacing as the cold rain hit me like a ton of bricks. I ran out to the rental car as fast as I could, seeking shelter from the wind and rain as I hopped in the driver's seat. I sat there for a few moments, my hands on the wheel as I stared out at the droplets on my windshield, contemplating what my next course of action would be. I had a few hours before the vigil, leaving me plenty of time to do other things.

Making up my mind, I drove towards the scene of Molly's death. I knew that it would still be blocked off by the authorities, but that didn't mean that there wasn't anything I could learn from the scene itself. While the rain was heavy, there was a good chance I could still pick up on the scent and maybe even follow it, which I knew was dangerous but that didn't deter me as I parked my car along the side of the road along the tree line before making my way towards the bus stop where Molly was last seen alive.

The area was rural with only a few houses scattered around, a thick cover of trees on either side which provided the perfect hiding place. I could almost see it from where I stood, a horrible monster lying in wait while Molly exited the school bus. I blocked out the mental images that followed as I shoved my hands into my pockets and made my way towards the trail where her body had been found. She had been snatched from the sidewalk and dragged into the woods; her backpack left on the side of the road. It had been found a few hours later by her parents, which had prompted them to finally call the police. I had read the news report for myself, wishing to familiarize myself with the investigation as much as possible.

The area where Molly was found was roped off and there was already a memorial put in place for her with pictures and flowers and even a crucifix, which had been knocked down by the wind. Bending down, I grabbed a hold of the cross and repositioned it so that it was standing up, my fingers lingering on the wet wood as I closed my eyes.

And then something truly amazing happened.

As if sensing that I was not alone, I opened my eyes and turned around, my eyes scanning the thick forest that surrounded me for something or someone. My Werewolf senses never failed me, and I ended up being right about someone watching me as my eyes fell on something nestled between the trees.

There, watching me silently from his hiding spot, was the silver Wolf from the road.

I couldn't look away from the magnificent creature as our eyes met, a jolt of electricity shooting through my frozen body as we stared at each other. Neither one of us moved for what felt like an eternity. He was large and beautiful, his silver fur standing out against the browns and greens of the forest around us. I almost imagined walking up to him and running my hands through his fur, the desire to close the distance between us growing by the second.

As if reading my thoughts, the Wolf stepped out from the trees and hesitantly walked towards me. I was frozen to the spot as he grew larger and larger with every step he took, but even then, I couldn't look away from him. I was in awe of his beauty, so rugged and wild and yet so breathtaking at the same time. I had always held great respect for the Wolf, not only because of my Werewolf status but because of the wild beauty they possessed. They were hunters, fierce and protective. Unlike Werewolves and humans, they were guided by instincts rather than malice or hatred.

He stared down at me as he stopped a few feet away from me, his head tilting to the side. I suppose any normal person would be frightened, but I wasn't. I had nothing to fear as I watched him sit back on his hind legs, his large intelligent brown eyes never once leaving mine.

I wanted so very badly to reach out and touch him at that moment as I gently rose to my feet and approached him. I was not afraid as I took a small step forward and held my hand out for him. He sniffed my hand, an act that seemed to physically pain him. Usually, other animals were threatened by my presence, which was just a matter of instinct. I was, after all, a predator, but even then, the Wolf did not shy away from me as he allowed me to get closer.

My hand was almost on his fur when my enhanced hearing picked up the sound of humans nearby, their scent wafting over to me as I momentarily glanced back at the trail where two humans were making their way towards the memorial site, no doubt to pay their respects. Seeing that they were still far away enough that they couldn't see us, I turned back to my Wolf only to find that he was long gone. The space where had stood only seconds before was empty, as if he had never been there to begin with.

And while I stood there, in the distance a sad lone howl echoed through the forest.

**OoO**

My father once told me that the thing that set humans apart from animals was the ability to mourn for people we had never met. I don't think truer words have ever been spoken before, especially as I stood amongst the crowd of Molly Anderson's mourners, their candles the only source of light in the darkness. One candle was enough to outshine the night, but all of them together?

It was breathtaking, and yet so very sad at the same time.

I held my candle as I looked around at all the unfamiliar faces, some of them with tears running down their faces. Even though I knew this was a community event that everyone had been invited too, I still felt like an outsider. I hadn't known Molly personally, having only heard about her until after her death. I wasn't even from the area, and yet I grieved for her. I grieved for her innocence in all of this, just a little girl walking home from the bus stop, in the wrong place at the wrong time. I grieved for her family, the pain that they were going through. And I grieved for the fact that despite it all, no one would ever know the truth about what really happened to Molly Anderson.

On the stage, I could see the grieving parents surrounded by friends and family as well as the school staff and faculty. The Principle of the Elementary School was getting ready to deliver a speech when felt someone approaching me, my senses heightened enough to know that someone was watching me. I turned around to see Chief Swan standing behind me in uniform, his head exposed as he held his hat in his hands as a sign of respect.

"Chief," I said in greeting as I glanced down at his unlit candle. I held mine out expectantly as he glanced at me, giving me a curious glance before he allowed me to light his candle with my own. The light from the fire flickered as he looked away from me and towards the stage, a hardened look crossing his features.

"Did you know her?"

I shook my head as I glanced back at him, "does it really matter any either way?"

He shook his head, "no, I guess it doesn't."

There was a moment of silence as I watched people comfort the grieving parents, whispering words of encouragement and hope to them as well as assurances. They were empty words, of course, fleeting words meant to fill a hole that could never be filled. I could see their pain from where I stood as Molly's parents cried for their daughter, grief-stricken by the loss of a loved one.

I knew their pain; had felt it for myself. The feeling of helplessness, knowing that there was nothing you could do to bring them back, your memories all you have left of them. It was the worst feeling, being able to recall the moments of joy in times of great sorrow.

"Did you know her?" I asked, tearing my eyes off the grieving couple.

He nodded towards the family, "I went to school with her father. We played on the football team together."

I nodded as Charlies continued, "Molly was their only child. They spent years trying to have her. I remember when she was born, they were so happy. They had spent years thinking they would never be able to have a child of their own and—" he shook his head before glancing back at her. "I just don't understand how something as horrific as this could happen to such a nice, normal family."

I looked down at my flickering candle as the Principle took the microphone and began to address the crowd. Charlie listened intently to the speech from beside me, but my attention was elsewhere as my phone buzzed in my back pocket.

"Excuse me," I said to Charlie before making my way out of the crowd and towards the bleachers where I knew I could get some privacy. My brother's name flashed across the screen as I pressed the accept button.

"Hey," I said as I glanced back at the crowd, "what's up?"

"We're stopping for the night in Medford, Oregon," said Ezra as I nodded. "We'll wake up tomorrow and drive the rest of the way in tomorrow. How are things on your end?"

"Crowded," I replied. "They're having a candlelight vigil for one of the victims and I decided to go."

"The little girl?" he asked.

"Yeah," I said with a sigh, "I don't know— I thought I'd come to pay my respects. I didn't know her, but—"

"You don't have to explain yourself," he replied before adding; "I get it. It's rough."

I closed my eyes and nodded. You see, even though I had only been working in Law Enforcement for a few years now, I had seen some pretty bad things, some of it involving kids. The cases involving kids were always the hardest, especially for me.

"Yeah look," I said as I switched my phone to the other ear, "things here in Forks are pretty hectic right now. I didn't get a lot of research done today, but the one who was in the hospital died early this morning. The time between the kills is getting shorter and shorter, which means he's escalating. It won't be long before it kills someone else."

"How are the local authorities handling it?" he asked as I glanced back at Charlie, who had his arms wrapped around a dark-skinned woman with long dark hair.

"As well as can be expected," I replied truthfully. "They have no idea what they're up against and it's not like they have the resources to actually kill the thing. The people are scared and they're pushing for them to act, so they're going to be deputizing a posse to hunt it down."

"That'll just make things ten times worse," replied Ezra as I nodded in agreement.

"It won't stop," I said before adding; "not now and not because of some hunters. They'll never be able to kill it with the weapons they have. It will just keep killing and spreading fear wherever it goes. Ezra, we have to end this."

"And we will," he said, reassuringly. "You don't need to remind me. I know."

I shook my head, "I can't do this alone. I want to hunt him down, I want to end this, but I can't. I—"

"Hey," he said, his voice soothing. "Take a deep breath. Everything's going to be fine, okay? Mason, Brenda, and I will be there tomorrow, and we'll hunt it down together, as a pack."

I did as he told me and inhaled deeply, his soothing and calming voice enough to reassure me.

"And once that's done, we can put this all behind us and go home. Forget this ever happened," he said optimistically. It was in times like this that I wished I was like him, but I was a pessimist. To me, the glass was never half-full.

I knew what he said was easier than done, especially for me. I still tried to take his words to heart, but even then, I knew I was only fooling myself.

"Hey," he said after a few moments of silence, "I love you. Stay safe."

"I love you too," I replied, a soft smile forming on my lips before I ended the call and shoved my phone into my back pocket before glancing back at the procession. Charlie was still standing where I had left him, his arms still wrapped around the woman who I presumed was his wife, but while I was gone a few more people had come to join the couple. Two huge guys were standing there looking awkward as they held candles, which looked ridiculously small in their ginormous hands. One of the guys I recognized from earlier that day, the one who had been with the guy I had accidentally bumped into at the Police Station.

For some reason, their very presence put me on edge as one of the guys coincidentally looked over in my direction, his gaze pausing on me as his entire body went rigid, like a rubber band that was stretched way too thin. He elbowed his friend who looked over at me, both freezing at the sight of me. Just their very presence put me on edge but having them all stare at me as though I had just kicked a puppy? It made me strange, as though I was unwelcomed.

I turned to leave but stopped short at the sight of _him._

I was surprised to see him, but clearly not as much as he was as his eyes zeroed in on me, widening in shock and happiness before a dark shadow crossed his features. It was as if he was happy to see me at first, but then suddenly remembered that he hated my guts.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, voice low and almost threatening.

"Excuse me?" I asked, incredulous. "Who the hell are you?"

I could sense the other's making their way towards us, but I stood my ground as he visibly tensed.

You see, the thing about me is that ever since I was eight years old, I was dealing with assholes. Asshole cops, asshole foster parents, asshole people who thought they could take advantage of me because I was an orphan or because I was a girl. I had learned early on how to deal with people like that and then I became a cop and a Bounty Hunter and that skill was only amplified. I had learned how to not only deal with the garden variety of assholes, but asshole criminals who thought they were above the law. And unfortunately for me, I sometimes had to deal with asshole misogynistic cops you thought that Law Enforcement should a gentlemen's club. So, because of experience, I had learned to live by three golden rules.

Rule number one, never back down. Always stand your ground. Weakness is a trait that will always be used against you if you let it be known. Don't let them think for a moment that they can walk all over you because the moment that you do, you become nothing but a doormat. Rule number two, choose your language wisely. And by this, I don't mean use kind words only. No. Fuck that. Make sure they know that you're not someone to be messed with but also try not to be too inflammatory. It's never a good idea to pour gasoline on an already raging fire. Rule number three, if they come swinging at you, all is fair game.

"Paul," said one of the guys as he stepped towards his friend, "man, you need to calm down."

It was the guy from earlier, the one that had been with Paul at the Police Station. He looked between his friend and me, giving me an unreadable expression before he turned his attention back to Paul, clearly wishing to de-escalate an already out of control situation.

"Don't tell me what to do," growled Paul. Wait… Did he just actually _growl?_

"Look, dude," I said as I crossed my arms over my chest, "I have no fucking clue who you are what your problem is, but usually it's polite to introduce yourself before coming off as an arrogant prick."

The guy I didn't know snickered while the other one raised both of his eyebrows in surprise as if that was the last thing he had ever expected to come out of my mouth. Paul, on the other hand, looked absolutely livid as he began to visibly shake.

_What the fuck?_

"Is everything okay here?" asked Charlie as he made his way over to us, concern lacing his voice as he glanced between the two of us, his eyes lingering on a shaking Paul. I glanced up at the Chief before glancing at his wife, who was standing a few feet away from us. She stared at Paul with a knowing look before she gave me an unreadable expression, one that put me even more on edge. I then glanced back at the crowd of people who had come to pay their respects, something which I did not want to detract from as I shook my head.

"Um, yeah," I said, clearing my throat. "Everything's fine. In fact, I was just leaving. Now."

I quickly turned to leave, wishing to de-escalate the situation and get out of there before we caused a scene. No such luck.

"No wait!" yelled Paul as he took a few large steps toward me as if to prevent me from leaving. There was a panic in his eyes, a wild sort of look that made him look deranged as he tried to grab my arm, but my reflexes were faster as I pulled away from him. The other two guys immediately grabbed a hold of him and began to drag him away in front of my very eyes.

"Come on Paul," said one of the guys, "just let her go."

Paul looked at me as I stood frozen to the spot, his eyes boring into mine as he opened his mouth to speak. What he said next was enough to shake me to my very core as the ghost of a whisper escaped his lips, just loud enough for me to hear.

"What are you?"

I felt my eyes widen as my jaw went completely slack with shock as all three of them disappeared into the woods. I don't know how long I stood there, frozen in shock and confusion at whatever had just happened. When I finally did turn around, I was met with a slew of gawking faces, including that of Charlie who looked absolutely dumbfounded. His wife, on the other hand, looked less surprised than he did. In fact, she looked as though she knew exactly what had just happened, but she remained silent.

"I think," I said as I cleared my throat, "that it would be best if I left."

I didn't wait for either one of them to reply as I ran past them, pissed off and angry at both myself and at stupid fucking Paul as I made a beeline towards the rental car. I got into the driver's seat and rested my head against the seat, my knuckles white as they grasped the steering wheel.

I closed my eyes as Paul's words echoed through my mind.

_What are you?_

**OoO**

**Coming Next:**** Another victim and a terrifying encounter with a legendary creature**

**AN:**** I hope you enjoyed! Don't forget to review and tell me what you thought. Feedback is always welcome!**


	5. Chapter 5

_"Falling in love is not rational. It's madness. A beautiful, wonderful, moment of magnificent insanity."_

_-Michael Faudet_

_"The Werewolf is neither man nor wolf, but a Satanic creature with the worst qualities of both."_

_-Warner Oland_

**OoO**

_Deep in the woods just outside of Forks sat a parked car and in it, two teenagers could be seen, their silhouetted forms just barely visible by the light of the moon as they made love. It was a cold night, a slow fog beginning to roll in from the hills as the two teenagers made out, their bodies pressed tightly together in the small cramped space. _

_Unknown to them, danger lurked in the shadows as two yellow, beady eyes watched them from the cover of darkness. He had been patient, waiting for the right opportune moment to strike, his hunger a constant ache in his belly that never truly seemed to go away._

_Stepping out of the woods, the monster basked in the moonlight before moving in for the kill. _

**OoO**

Paul Lahote had once sworn to himself that he would never imprint. However, if there was one thing that Paul was shit at, it was keeping promises.

A promise, he knew, either made something, or it broke everything. His entire childhood had been a collection of broken promises, one after another until it had completely broken his trust in the people around him. Because of that, he knew never to make promises he could not keep, so he never made them at all. It was easier that way; to not have people's misguided trust placed in him. It made the world around him easier; simple even.

That was until _she _came.

And just like that, in the blink of an eye, his entire world was flipped upside down. And if that wasn't bad enough, he could tell that there was something off about his imprint. He knew she wasn't human, his Wolf senses enough to tell him that. Just being around her was enough to put him on edge. She was a conundrum, a puzzle just waiting to be solved. A person who was clearly not human and who walked with the confidence only befitting of a natural predator.

He could sense she was dangerous, and yet at the same time, he couldn't stop thinking about her. He knew nothing about her, except that she had almost mowed Quil over with her Jeep and that she wasn't afraid of Wolves. She was the one person in this world that he wanted more than anything, but at the same time, there was a part of him that wished she would get in her car, drive off and never come back.

Panic surged through him at the thought as he ran towards the road, his giant form gliding through the trees as he ran alongside her rental car, the trees shielding him from view. He could see the Volvo she was driving as he deliberately kept pace with it. He knew he was being irrational, but the thought of her leaving physically pained him. He wanted her; needed her to stay.

While he wanted more than anything to reject the bond between them, he knew he couldn't. He wanted her more than anything, and that scared the shit out of him.

_"Paul!"_ came Embry's frantic voice through the pack bond as he bounded after the Silver Wolf. _"Where are you going?"_

_"None of your business," _snapped Paul as he kept his gaze on the Volvo.

_"Come on, man. You need to calm down," _said Jared as he chased after the two of them. _"You're being irrational."_

_"No, I'm not," _replied Paul as he chanced a glance back at Embry, who was already gaining on him as he quickened his pace. Embry was the fastest one out of the entire pack, and while Paul was fast, he knew that running from Embry was futile.

_"Yes, you are!" _countered Embry

_"And how would you know?" _snapped Paul, massive paws pounding against the muddy ground. _"You've never even imprinted, so don't tell me to calm down—"_

Embry ran ahead of him before stopping in front of him, effectively blocking his path as he skidded to an abrupt halt. Jared ran up behind Paul and blocked him from running away, trapping him between the two of them as the Volvo turned the corner and disappeared down the street.

_"Get out of my way," _snarled Paul as he pawed at the ground anxiously.

Embry shook his head, _"no. Not until you calm down."_

_"What's going on here?" _said Sam as he appeared from out of the woods, his eyes gazing over the three of them. _"I thought you three were at the Vigil."_

It was true that Jared, Embry, and Paul were supposed to be attending the Vigil as representatives. The Tribe had asked them to go as a show of support and solidarity between the two communities. Not only that, but it was also an opportunity to learn more about the investigation, that was until _she _had made an unexpected appearance.

_"We were," _said Jared, _"until Paul ran into his imprint there."_

_"What was she doing there?" _asked Sam, a dark look crossing his features. He hadn't met Paul's imprint yet but already knew that she wasn't human either, which put both him and the entire pack on edge, especially after the tracks they had found.

Embry shrugged, _"maybe she knows the family?"_

_"Or maybe she was there because of guilt," _said Jared. Paul knew they had all been thinking it, but none of them had been as brave as to voice their thoughts until now.

_"Are you suggesting—?" _began Embry before Paul cut him off, his voice low as he glared at Jared.

_"No. No fucking way," _snarled Paul, already fiercely protective of his imprint. There was no way he was going to let anything happen to her, human or not. _"If you actually think for one second that she was the one responsible—"_

_"She's not human, Paul," _said Jared before adding; _"we all know it."_

_"You said it yourself. Whatever killed Molly wasn't human," _replied Sam as Paul shook his head, adamantly. _"And from what we know about the woman, it is possible that—"_

_"She's not," _replied Paul as he glared at his packmates. _"Her scent and the scent we picked up at the crime scene were not the same and she wasn't even in town when Molly died according to Charlie and I'm not saying that just because she's my imprint. I'm telling you, she's not responsible." _

_"And even if she was," _began Embry as he glanced between Sam and Paul wearily, _"she's still protected under our most sacred law. She's untouchable."_

_"All of you guys are asking the wrong questions," _said Leah as the rest of the pack slinked out of the woods, her sleek white form coming to stand with them around the circle. _"The real questions we should be asking is what is she? Clearly, she's not human, but she's not a Vampire either and we'd know if she was like us."_

_"Do you think the Cullen's would know more about her?" _asked Quil as everyone glanced at Sam. The Cullen's were long gone by then, having gone up to Alaska with Jake and Renesmee in tow. It was a good idea and there was no denying that the Cullen's had always been a source of information, especially Dr. Carlisle.

_"We could call Jake and ask him what Dr. Cullen thinks," _proposed Seth, optimistically as Sam considered it.

After a few moments, he nodded. _"It's as good as any. Until then, under no circumstances," _he turned to address Jared specifically, _"is she to be harmed. Embry's right. She is still protected by law, no matter what she is. But I want to keep tabs on her. Like Jared said, she clearly is not human. We watch her closely from now on. Everything she says, everything she does I want to know about it. Is that clear?"_

Everyone nodded, all of them, including Paul, in agreement.

_"And Paul is going to be the one to keep an eye on her," _said Sam as he leveled his gaze on Paul, challenging him.

_"What?!" _asked Paul as he began to shake his head, vehemently. _"No, no, no. You know how I feel about the imprint. Besides, after what happened earlier, I doubt she'll ever talk to me again."_

God, he hoped that wasn't the case. As much as he despised the concept of imprinting, he couldn't deny that she already had a hold over him. There was no way he would ever be able to keep his distance. Not from her.

_"She's your imprint," _said Sam nonchalantly. _"As far as I'm concerned, she's your responsibility now."_

_"I don't even know her!" _he replied, exasperatedly. _"I've barely spoken to her at all and I don't even know her name! How do you expect me to keep an eye on her when she probably already hates my guts?"_

_"Yeah," _began Jared, _"you were kind of an ass to her. Talk about making a great first impression. She probably thinks you're a raging lunatic with anger issues already."_

Paul glowered at Jared, but he knew he was right. He had been a royal ass to her, but in his defense, her very presence there at the Vigil had caught him off guard. And of course, his first reaction to being made uncomfortable was to become guarded and defensive. It also hadn't helped that he was still in denial about having even imprinted in the first place, but seeing her again had put all his doubts to rest. Now he was conflicted between wanting to see her again and wishing she never existed in the first place.

He winced as soon as his thoughts were made clear, wishing he could take them back as his packmates all glanced away uncomfortably. Out of everyone there, none of them seemed to have had as hard of time accepting their imprints as Paul, not even Quil who had gone and imprinted on a baby. But they could sense that Paul was trying to reject the imprint tooth and nail, and he was failing. Miserably.

_"It's not our fault that you decided to act like a moron," _sneered Leah. _"I mean, what else were you expecting, Lahote?"_

_"I never asked to imprint in the first place," _replied Paul. _"And that's rich coming from you, Clearwater. You've never imprinted and you probably never will. So why don't you count your blessings and leave me alone?"_

Leah flinched at his words as a brief look of hurt crossed her features before hardening into her usually glare and once again Paul wished he could take his words back. What he had said was totally uncalled for, but there was no taking them back now.

_"Fuck you," _sneered Leah. _"just because you went and imprinted doesn't give you the right to be a dick about it."_

_"I never asked to imprint in the first place," _shot back Paul. _"I didn't even get a choice in the matter for Christ's sake."_

_ "And yet here you are," _said Sam before adding; _"might as well come to terms with it because there's no going back now."_

_"Yeah, I kinda figured," _replied Paul, scathingly. _"I'm tied to someone I don't even know for the rest of my life. I'm nothing but a prisoner now and it's not like I can just run away from her."_

Not that he wanted too anyways.

Quil rolled his eyes, _"stop being so melodramatic. You're acting like this is the end of the world—"_

_"It is for me!"_

_"Look," _began Jared, impatiently, _"would you rather I keep an eye on her? I know she's your imprint and all, but clearly, you're not mature enough to handle this like an adult. Plus, I don't know what she is, but I don't want her anywhere near Kim. No offense."_

_ "I don't want her anywhere near Claire either," _added Quil before glancing apologetically at Paul. _"Sorry, Paul. I know she's your imprint, but there's something strange about her. She's not like us, man. She's not human. We can't just ignore that cause she's your imprint."_

_"You're not going anywhere near her," _sneered Paul, the urge to protect his imprint of anyone and everything coming back full force; _"either one of you."_

_"Then it's settled," _said Sam triumphantly before turning back to Paul. _"You'll keep an eye on her, make sure she's not involved with the killings, not that we think she is but Quil said it best. She may be your imprint, but she's not human. We need to make sure she isn't a threat to the Tribe, and that means learning more about her, where she comes from, and what she is, and what she's doing here."_

Paul wished he could argue further, but instead he chose to remain quiet as the will to keep fighting slowly died away. He felt trapped, both physically and emotionally like a caged animal, which was ridiculous. He was a Wolf and there was no caging him, and yet here he was. There was no denying the hold his imprint already held over him.

It also didn't hurt that she was beautiful, her beauty entrancing and enthralling. From the moment she had stepped out of her wrecked Jeep and looked at him, he knew he was screwed. She was everything he had ever wanted in a partner. Rich brown hair that reminded him of melted caramel chocolate that fell just above her shoulders, framing her porcelain colored skin. Her eyes were brown, the kind of brown where if the sun hit them just right, they would turn into a pool of liquid gold. She was absolutely _breathtaking _to behold, but not even Paul was totally fooled by her appearance. There was a fierce, wild beauty to her. Her outward appearance may have been soft, but there was something dangerous lurking beneath the surface, almost like a Wolf in Sheep's clothing.

And yet despite that, he never wanted to look away.

The pack dispersed, all of them leaving to continue with their patrols or whatever else it was that they were doing. All of them except for Paul and Seth, the former who was still frozen to his spot as Seth glanced between the retreating Wolves and the Silver Wolf, a conflicted look crossing his features.

_"What?" _asked Paul, dejectedly.

_"You know," _began Seth as he turned his gaze towards Paul, _"for what it's worth, I think you're lucky."_

_"Why is that?"_

_"Do you know how long I've been waiting to imprint?" _said Seth with a small whimper. _"I've spent years watching everyone else imprint and fall in love and yet here I am. You weren't even looking for your imprint and bam! There she is."_

Paul rolled his eyes, but he understood where the kid was coming from. He had spent years reading Seth's thoughts and he knew just how much he wanted what everyone else had while Paul had sworn up and down that it would never happen to him. If anyone out of their entire pack deserved to imprint, it was probably Seth.

_"It's not all sunshine and roses," _muttered Paul under his breath. So far, there had been nothing easy about this. Imprinting had only managed to bring him misery. _"I imprinted on someone who isn't even human and I don't even know her name. You think that makes me lucky?"_

_"Well, yeah," _replied Seth earnestly, _"at least I think so."_

Paul snorted as he rose to his feet, _"you're naïve."_

_"Or maybe I'm just an optimist," _called out Seth from behind him before adding; _"and she does have a name you know. Charlie told me."_

Paul froze before looking back at Seth. _"What is it?"_

_"Why would I tell you when you could ask her for yourself?" _said Seth smugly before hurrying to join up with the rest of the pack, leaving Paul in his wake as the Silver wolf watched him go.

Paul shook his head as he looked up at the sky. Human or not, the need to be near his imprint was overwhelming, and he knew there was no fighting it anymore. The Spirits had chosen her, and so far, they had yet to be wrong.

And so, Paul Lahote swallowed his pride and made up his mind. He knew that he had been an asshole to her and that she probably hated him already, rightfully so. But he needed her; couldn't live without her. She was his imprint and that meant he would have to find her and apologize to her and pray that she believed in second chances.

And if she didn't— well, if that was the case, then he was royally screwed.

**OoO**

Sometimes there are no words in the world to explain what you are feeling and yet at the same time, there are not enough.

Anger, disbelief, and embarrassment coursed through me as I sped away from the Vigil, my hands grasping the steering wheel until my knuckles were whiter than snow as I tried not to panic, however, I couldn't seem to get a grip over my emotions as I turned the radio off, unable to listen to music anymore as the rain pounded against the windshield. Slow at first and then hard and fast, which seemed to be a good way of describing exactly what I was feeling as I drove towards my hotel room, unable to stop thinking about what had just happened.

_Holy fucking shit. What the fuck was that guy's problem?_

To put it very mildly, I was upset. That— that guy _Paul _had yelled at me and had embarrassed me in public, disrupting the Vigil for Molly in the meanwhile and drawing everyone's attention towards me, as if I didn't need the attention already. He had been a total and complete asshole and not only that, but I could tell that he wasn't human, at least not a normal human. He wasn't a Lycan, but there was something odd about him and I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

His words echoed through my head, lingering like a bad smell that wouldn't go away.

_What are you?_

A shiver ran up my spine as my grip on the steering wheel tightened even more. I considered, briefly, tracking the guy down and confronting him. I knew I could do it, his scent already locked into my mind as my inner Wolf growled, ready for a fight that I knew would never come.

Breathlessly, I shook my head, his face flashing through my mind as something strange pulled at my chest. I couldn't fight him, nor did I want too as I shook my head, angry at myself for being so weak. I knew Paul was a threat. My Werewolf senses could tell me that much, but they didn't tell me why or how. What he knew and what he didn't know, I had no idea. All I knew was that Paul was a threat and that sooner or later, I was going to have to confront him.

_"Damnit," _I muttered as I pounded my fist into the wheel furiously. A few minutes later, I pulled into the hotel parking lot and parked the car. I turned the car off as I sat there in contemplative silence for a few, long moments before I got out and returned to my hotel room.

I needed to clear my mind, so I took a long hot shower before getting ready for bed. I didn't even bother to dry my hair as I laid down on the bed. I turned on the TV and flipped through the station, disinterestedly as I searched for something to occupy my mind. I ended up settling on a rerun of Law and Order SVU, another procedural cop show that I didn't care much for as I tried to pay attention to the plot of the story. Although, after a few moments I felt my mind begin to wander again as my thoughts drifted back to Paul.

Every time I thought of him, I couldn't help but feel infuriated at his pompous attitude and blatant rudeness. Even worse, I was furious at myself for allowing myself to get so riled up because of one stupid guy. I wasn't the type of person to get frustrated easily, but there was no doubt that whoever that guy was, he made me angry. And yet at the same time, I couldn't stop thinking about him.

I grumbled as I turned both the TV and the lights off before letting my head fall against the pillow. I willed myself to stop thinking about Paul as I turned my thoughts to my pack. They would be here in the morning, Mason, Ezra, and Brenda. As much as they annoyed me, I was excited to see them again. It had been almost a month since I had last seen them as my last Bounty had gone longer than I had originally anticipated, and I was happy that they would be here tomorrow, especially my little brother.

Closing my eyes, I drifted into unconsciousness as a howl sounded in the distance before a chorus broke out. It almost sounded like the Wolves were singing a beautiful and wild song, and yet it was haunting at the same time. If I had been truly awake, I would've known that something was wrong because there was only one reason why Wolves howled at that intensity and that when there was danger.

But I didn't hear it. I was already asleep.

**OoO**

Embry Call had always been impartial when it came to imprinting.

He had neither hated it nor loved it. He had just accepted it as a fact of life, something that could or could not happen to him in the distant future. Because of that, he was perfectly content being single. He didn't feel the need to fall in love and settle down like some of his fellow packmates, but he always made sure to keep an open mind when it came to imprinting.

Paul, on the other hand, hated imprinting with a burning passion, which was why the idea of Paul imprinting on anyone had always been an amusing thought. Before Paul had imprinted, everyone had made jokes at Paul's expense, feeling pity for whatever woman the Spirits chose for him. But now, none of those jokes were as funny as they once were.

Running through the woods around Forks, Embry Call tried not to think about the implications that surrounded Paul and his imprint. He didn't know the woman at all and he had only seen her around a few times, but from he could tell about her she seemed like a no-nonsense type of person, which he knew was a recipe for disaster when it came to Paul. She seemed guarded and tense as if waiting for someone to jump out and attack her at any moment, which might be true if their information was anything to go on. She was pretty, but in a stoic sort of way that reminded him of a statue.

All in all, Embry wasn't exactly sure what to make of Paul's imprint. And neither was Paul from the looks of it as they both patrolled together, Quil not far behind them as they glided through the forests with nothing but each other and their interconnected thoughts for company.

_"Would you quit thinking about her?" _asked Paul, annoyed. _"I don't want to hear any more about it."_

_"Sorry," _replied Embry, _"it's just weird, okay? I mean— what do you think she is?"_

_"I don't know," _replied Paul before adding; _"if you're so curious, why don't you ask her yourself?"_

_"That would go over like a lead balloon," _remarked Quil as he interjected his thoughts into the pack bond, _"just walk up to her and ask her what she is, Em. I'm sure she wouldn't mind at all."_

_"Clearly she's not human," _replied Paul, _"as far as what she is, your guess is as good as mine."_

Embry didn't say anything more as they continued to patrol. All appeared to be going well until something rancid hit Embry in the face.

"_Eugh," _said Embry as he breathed into the awful smell, wishing he could cover his nose and stop breathing altogether. _"What is that smell?"_

_"That's the scent we picked up from the crime scene," _said Quil excitedly as Embry scrunched up his snout in disgust.

_"It's disgusting!" _he remarked. The scent reminded him of filth and disease, the distinct smell of decay permeating the air like an unwelcome house guest. It was horrible and it only seemed to be worsening as they ran.

A scream pierced through the night, somewhere close by from the sound of it before a lone howl echoed in the darkness, a howl that didn't belong to anyone from their pack as they quickened their pace.

The scene they came across was something that Embry knew he would never forget as all three of them came to a grinding halt, all sense of wit leaving them as they stared wide-eyed at the _thing. _It turned its glowing, yellow eyes on them as the corners of its lips turned upwards in a smile as the fur on the back of Embry's neck stood straight up.

Later, Embry would've been asked to describe the creature, but there were no words to accurately describe the physical appearance of the creature except Satanic. He could, however, describe the sheer magnitude of the terror that all three of them were experiencing at that very moment.

The creature was neither man nor Wolf, but a terrifying combination of both.

They watched in mute horror as the beast rose to its full height, which must've been at least ten feet or more. Fresh blood matted its already matted fur, the rancid smell of animal filth and decay permeating off him and making them all nauseous. It was clearly protective of its kill as Embry glanced at the body of a human male, his entrails spilled out on the ground.

Paul lunged at the creature, suddenly and without warning like a spring before Embry and Quil followed suite. Tearing into the creature with their teeth and claws as all four of them struggled. The creature let out a deafening roar as all three of them went for the throat, like a lion to a gazelle. But the beast was strong as it ripped Quil off him, his arms wrapping around the Shapeshifter before squeezing. Quil yelped in pain, but was silence as the creature threw him away like he was nothing more than a rag doll.

As much as Embry and Paul wanted to make sure their friend was okay, they could not risk it as they kept all their focus on the fight. Embry snarled as he dug his claws into the creature's chest and ripped through the flesh, which was surprisingly harder than he originally thought as it howled in pain. It turned its beady, wild eyes on Embry and raised its claws in retaliation before Paul tore into its arm.

Distantly, they could hear howling as their packmates ran to join the fight as he tore into the other arm only to be flung through the air. White, hot pain coursed through Embry as he crashed into the ground several feet away.

Paul and the creature fought toe to toe as Embry chanced a glance over at Quil, who was lying unconscious on the ground, his body limp and motionless. A few feet away from Quil hiding behind a tree was a young woman, her eyes wide with terror as she clutched at her middle. The smell of her blood permeated the air.

Shaking himself off, Embry jumped back into the fight just as Sam and Jared burst out of the woods to join them. Realizing that he was outmatched, the creature raised its hand and clawed at the two of them before escaping into the woods, Paul and Sam in pursuit as a few more of their packmates slinked out of the woods to join them, their howls echoing across the eerie landscape as they ran after the monster.

And then there was another howl. One that didn't belong to any member of their pack as Embry felt his skin begin to crawl. It was the sort of sound that got under your skin and stayed there, resonating.

Ignoring it, Embry rushed over to Quil, who was still unconscious, blood matted to fur as his tongue lobbed out. He was still alive and breathing steadily, which was a good sign. Turning his attention to the young woman, Embry could see that she was struggling to stay conscious from blood loss and that if he didn't act soon, she would die.

He phased back to human, uncaring of his naked state as he wrapped his arms around her and hoisted her up, careful not to jostle her too much as Seth came running out of the woods with an extra pair of cutoffs for him.

"Open the car," yelled Embry as her eyelids began to flutter. She was shaking in his arms and her skin was white and clammy. Along her abdomen and chest, he could see long deep claw marks that dug into her delicate skin, marring and deforming her.

Seth obeyed him as they sat her down in the backseat. Embry wrapped his arms around her, using his body to try and warm her up as she continued to shake.

"Call 911," said Embry.

"I don't have a cell phone!" yelled Seth as he frantically felt around his pockets before he began to search in the front seat of the car.

"Check the glove compartment," said Embry as Seth frowned.

"Why would there be a cell phone in the glove compartment?"

"Just do it!" yelled Embry as Seth obliged. To their luck, there was a small burner phone in there as Seth flipped it open and began to frantically punch in the numbers while Embry tightened his grip on the young girl. He recognized her, and he had seen her around La Push a few times and he knew that she was a student at Forks High, but other than that he didn't know anything about her.

"H—help m—me," she stuttered, her words barely audible.

"We're going to help you," replied Embry, "just hold on."

"A—Adam?" she asked, blinking. "Is— is he?"

"He's fine," replied Embry, lying. Her boyfriend was long dead, but she didn't need to know that just yet. "He's injured but he's okay."

She nodded as her eyes began to flutter, prompting Embry to shake her awake as Seth stayed on the line with emergency services. He wasn't an expert when it came to first aid, but he was pretty sure that falling asleep while in shock was not good.

"An ambulance is on the way," said Seth as Embry cleared his throat and nodded. He hoped that Paul and Sam were okay, but that this point he could only hope as he looked down at the girl in his arms, blood seeping out of her wounds and onto him, warm and sticky.

"What do you think that was?" whispered Seth, under his breath so that the 911 dispatcher wouldn't hear him as he glanced at Embry, looking for some sort of explanation.

"I don't know," replied Embry as he shook his head, trying to remain the calm one out of them both. His expression, however, said otherwise as another eerie howl echoed through the desolate landscape. _"I don't know."_

**OoO**

Quil's screams pierced through the night as his bones had to be broken and reset.

It was a grueling process, one that put the entire pack on edge as they all sat around Billy Black's coffee table listening to the sound, wincing. All of them were silent and brooding after their encounter earlier, the sting of defeat easily felt as they refused to look at one another.

Paul sat on the floor, eyes closed as another one of Quil's screams rang through the small house while Embry sat opposite of him, the smell of human blood still lingering on him as he stared at the far wall blankly.

"Well," said Jacob, the first one to break the silence, "it's good to see you guys again."

"You reek," muttered Leah under her breath before adding; "you've been living with the leeches for too long, Black. You're starting to smell like one."

"I see nothing has changed in my absence," said Jacob, flinching as the sound of Carlisle re-breaking Quil's bone sounded. He remembered when it had been him in Quil's place after the Newborn battle all those years ago and although he didn't remember much, he did remember the wretched pain.

"We're glad you're back," said Seth before adding; "we just wish it was under better circumstances."

Jake nodded, "so what do you guys think it was?"

"Who fucking cares," said Jared, fists balled together, "it was a monster. Do we have to know exactly what it was?"

Leah rolled her eyes, "let's not kid ourselves. We all know that the thing was. It was a Werewolf. A real-life in the flesh fucking Werewolf. There? Happy? Now can we focus on how we're gonna kill it before it kills someone else?"

"A Werewolf?" asked Seth, nervously. "Like the ones that turn on a full moon? Are those even real?"

Quil screamed again, begging and pleading for Dr. Cullen to stop as everyone flinched.

"The Cullen's mentioned them once," said Jake before adding; "but I thought they said they were extinct."

"That thing didn't look extinct to me," said Paul as he balled up his fists. He wanted nothing more than to punch his fist through a wall, angry at himself for allowing it to escape. "It was right there. Right in front of us and we let it get away."

"Aren't we missing the obvious here?" asked Jared. "If that thing was a Werewolf wouldn't tonight be a full moon?"

"Is it?" asked Seth as he glanced out of the window, trying to catch of glimpse of the moon that was currently shielded by a thick cloud.

"It's not," said Jared. "I checked."

Leah scoffed, "you do realize that Vampires are supposed to burn in sunlight and not sparkle, right? Just cause it's a full moon doesn't mean anything."

Leah made a fair point, one that none of them could argue with as silence filled the room. They had all heard about Werewolves before from Hollywood and even folklore. From shows like The Vampire Diaries and the new Teen Wolf series where Werewolves had been romanticized, but now that they had encountered the real thing, none of it sat well with them anymore.

Paul for one knew that he would never be able to sit through Michael J. Fox's Teen Wolf ever again, which was fine by him. He could go his entire life without seeing that movie again.

"Embry?" asked Brady, speaking up from his place on the floor. He and Collin had been the only Wolves who had not been there. "Are you alright?"

"The girl—" began Embry, distantly as he looked down at his hands that had been soaked in her blood only a few hours ago. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

"She was alive when they loaded her into the ambulance," said Seth. "The Paramedic said you did a good job of keeping her awake and warm, Em."

"She was so cold," whispered Embry under his breath. If Paul didn't know any better, Embry looked a little shellshocked. He couldn't blame him though, especially after seeing the state the poor girl was in. She had been brutally maimed, ripped apart and sliced open. It was a miracle she was even alive at all.

"We can go tomorrow," said Paul, reassuringly. "Check in on her, if you'd like."

"Yeah," Embry blinked, "we should do that."

A few moments later, they could hear Quil's pained gasps and sobs die down as he fell into a deep sleep, all of them glad that they didn't have to listen to the awful sound of him crying and screaming anymore. The door to the guest bedroom opened and both Sam and Dr. Cullen stepped out, their faces grim and somber as everyone stood up, eager to hear about their friend.

"How is he, Doc?" asked Seth.

"He's going to be okay," said Dr. Cullen reassuringly as he addressed the entire pack, "a little sore, but he'll pull through. He's resting now."

"We're glad to hear," said Billy as he rolled his wheelchair into the room, his gaze falling on the Vampire, "thank you, Dr. Carlisle. On behalf of the Tribe, we are grateful for your services once again."

"There's no need to thank me," said Carlisle before adding; "Jake and I should really be heading back home soon unless there's anything I can help you guys with."

"Actually, there is," said Paul as he addressed the blond Vampire, "That creature— it was a Werewolf, wasn't it?"

Dr. Cullen nodded solemnly, "A Child of the Moon, yes. I had thought them extinct until now, but apparently, I was wrong."

"What can you tell us about it?" asked Sam sternly as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Except for the basics? Not much," said Carlisle before adding, solemnly; "except that you all are in grave danger."

**OoO**

**Coming Next: **** A pack reunion, a frightened town, and an encounter in the hospital**

**AN: Sorry for the late update. I hope you all enjoyed and thank you for the comments!**


	6. Chapter 6

_"Wild animals never kill for sport. Man is the only one to whom the torture and death of his fellow creatures is amusing in itself."_

_-James Anthony Froude_

_"The hardest walk you can make is the walk you make alone, but that is the walk that will make you the strongest."_

_-Unknown Author_

**OoO**

I jerked awake at the sound of my phone ringing. Blinking away the grogginess, I blindly reached for my phone, cursing as my phone fell off the nightstand and onto the floor, forcing me to yank the covers off as I snatched the phone off the ground and hit the accept button.

"Hello?" I asked as I ran a hand through my bed hair.

"Hey loser," said my brother as I rolled my eyes.

"Good morning to you too brat," I replied as I flipped the curtain aside and looked out at the steady morning rain that was coming down hard. "Are you guys almost here?"

"We uh— ran into a little bit of trouble in Portland," he said as I frowned.

"What sort of trouble?" I asked as I glanced at the digital clock on the nightstand, the time reading eight am. "Are you guys alright?"

"We're fine," he reassured me, "but we ran into a group of hunters earlier this morning, and not the nice ones either."

My eyes widened as panic surged through me. Ever since Gévaudan, the relationship between Hunters and Lycans had improved considerably after being forced to work together for a common goal, but even then, relations were still not the best and there was still a lot of animosity between the two groups. While most Hunters followed a Code that disallowed the killing of innocent Lycans, there were some Hunters out there who had the mindset of kill first ask questions later. They wouldn't blink twice about killing one of our kind, even if the Lycan was innocent.

"Are you guys okay?" I asked, worried about my pack.

"Yeah, but Mason's car isn't," he said before adding; "they blew the tires out with silver bullets."

"Do you think they're heading this way?" I asked, fearing that we would have to worry about more than just the man-eating Lycan. A group of angry hunters who hated our kind would just be the cherry on top.

"I don't know," he said truthfully. "It's entirely possible, but they could've just been the area too."

"How did they find out about you guys?" I asked.

"They must've had a tracker," he replied before adding; "they must've gotten it from an occultist or a witch. That's the only explanation I can think of."

"Makes sense," I replied as I ran a hand through my hair. "Dammnit."

There were witches and potion makers who could make a Lycan tracker if they had the rights ingredients such as Werewolf teeth and claws, which did hold magical properties. When a Werewolf died, it was customary to burn the body so that nobody, especially witches could harvest body parts for their spells and potions. But even then, sometimes not even that was enough to prevent it from happening.

"On the bright side, the car should be ready to go in a few hours. Mason's putting new tires on as we speak, and Brenda is asking around the hunter circles that we do know to see if they know who the group was. I know there will hunters on our side who won't be happy to hear that the Treaty of Gévaudan was broken."

"Good," I breathed out a sigh of relief, "how long till you guys can get back on the road?"

"We should be there around two or so," he replied. "You'll just have to sit tight until then."

"I'm sure I'll find something to do," I said as I plopped down onto the bed and turned the television on, flipping through the channels before the local news station came on, a man in a black suit and a yellow raincoat stood in front of Forks City Hall, a large crowd gathering behind him.

_"As you can see, a large crowd has gathered behind me at Forks City Hall where Mayor Greene, Chief Swan of the Forks Police Department, and Sheriff Wilson are prepared to make a statement about the vicious mauling that took place late last night on a service road that left one teen dead and another fighting for their life. Eighteen-year-old Adam Sudekis, a Senior at Forks High and Captain of the football team, was pronounced dead on arrival by Paramedics while seventeen-year-old Lisa Baker was taken to Forks General with severe injuries. Her condition has been reported as stable by medical staff and authorities as of early this morning," _he said as the camera panned out to another woman in a grey pantsuit, who was seated behind her desk at the news station.

"Shay? What are you listening to?" asked Ezra as I felt my stomach drop.

"The news," I said before adding; "there was another mauling last night."

"How many?" asked Ezra as I shook my head.

"One dead, another in the hospital," I said putting the phone on speaker as I pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater that I picked up in a souvenir shop here in town. "It happened late last night."

"Shay—"

"I have to go," I said as I grabbed my wallet and my keys. "I'll see you guys later today."

With that, I ended the phone call as I ran out to my car, the rain starting to come down heavy by then as I piled into my rental car and made my way to City Hall. I found upon my arrival there that there was indeed a large crowd of people there, all the local residents of the town who were concerned. I knew what this gathering was about. The people of Forks were angry at the local Law Enforcement for their inaction and the authorities were running around with their heads up their assess with no idea what they were actually dealing with.

"I hear your concerns," said a man into a microphone behind a makeshift podium. I could see Chief Swan standing next to him as well as the County Sheriff as they addressed the crowd. "But I can assure the citizens of Fork's that we are doing everything within our power to hunt this animal down."

"You said that after Molly was killed!" yelled an angry woman from the crowd. "And you're still no closer to catching the thing!"

There were shouts of agreement as the man in the suit, who I assume was the Mayor waved his hands in the air in an attempt to calm the angry mass down. "Please, everyone if you could just raise your hands—"

"I'll tell you what you need to do!" yelled a bearded man in dirty overalls. "You need to start Deputizing a hunting party! I know I and a lot of other hunters in this town wouldn't mind getting the job done if you let us!"

I looked over at a group of men dressed in camo attire with NRA hats and couldn't help but roll my eyes. I understand where they were coming from, but these men were no match for a Werewolf. Their bullets wouldn't have any effect on it. Instead, they would probably just end up killing an innocent Wolf—

My thoughts drifted to the beautiful Wolves in the forest. What if one of these hunters killed one of them?

The thought alone made me ill as I looked back towards the podium.

"Ladies and Gentlemen," began the Mayor as he dabbed his forehead with a cloth, "I can understand your frustration and you can rest assure that we are doing everything within our power to make it happen. The Sheriff's Department and the Forks Police Department are working diligently together to ensure the safety of everyone within this town as well as the County. We will catch the animal responsible. One way or another."

I looked away from the town meeting, my eyes drifting over the crowd until they settled on the familiar form of Officer Brenton near the back. Shoving my hands into my pockets, I walked over to him and smiled at him.

"Oh hey," he said. "You're still in town, huh?"

I nodded, "will be for a while. I uh, heard what happened on the news. Crazy, right?"

"Oh yeah," he said in agreement, "things are pretty hectic around here with all these animal attacks. I don't think we've had this many in a single month ever before."

"I heard on the news that there have been other similar maulings all along the peninsula," I said nonchalantly as he nodded in confirmation.

"There have been," he said as he dipped his head, "but it's unlikely that those were done by the same animal that killed Molly and Adam."

"Do you think you're dealing with a pack?" I asked, trying to keep the conversation flowing.

"It's possible," he took off his uniform hat and scratched his head, "we do have a lot of Wolves in the area, but even then I was surprised to hear that a Wolf in the area would do something like this."

"Really?" I asked, curious. "Why?"

"We, uh usually just get mountain lion attacks and a few bear attacks around these parts," he said before adding; "but Wolf attacks seem to be rarer, which I say is surprising considering the stories some of the town people have been sharing about oversized Wolves in the area."

I raised my eyebrows in surprise, "oversized Wolves?"

"Yeah," he said shaking his head, "it's kind of like an urban tale around here. Some people claim to have seen them in the woods around La Push and Forks. Wolves as big as bears if you can believe it."

Oh, I could definitely believe it, but I kept that to myself.

I pretended to laugh, "seems kinda farfetched if you ask me."

He shrugged as he pulled his belt up, "who knows, maybe. Wolves on their own are very large creatures. But Wolves the size of grizzly bears? I don't know."

I nodded, trying to keep the conversation as lively as possible, "so what makes you guys think it's a Wolf responsible?"

"That was the coroner's report," he replied before adding; "apparently they found some weird stuff on the vic that indicate some kind of Wolf."

"What do you mean by weird?" I asked as I shoved my hands in my pockets, eager to hear what he had to say.

He frowned as he looked at me, as if he couldn't decide whether to share the information with me or not as he shifted his weight, "you know, I'm really not supposed to be discussing the details of the investigation with anyone."

I reached into my wallet and retrieved my badge before showing it to him, "I'm in Law Enforcement too. You can talk to me."

He raised an eyebrow at me, "you're a Bounty Hunter?"

"Oh, don't look at me like that," I said with a grin before adding; "I know not all of you guys think we're just wannabe cops, but I went to the Academy too and I was with the LAPD. You can talk to me."

"Why'd you quit? Couldn't make it as a street cop?" he asked as I internally rolled my eyes.

"It wasn't my thing," I said before adding; "I wanted to hunt criminals down and bring them to justice. Not sit around in a patrol car waiting for someone to commit a crime and hand out speeding tickets. But now that I'm a Bail Enforcement Agent, I can chase fugitives across state lines in my own car and work on my own schedule."

"That actually does sound kinda nice," replied Brenton as I grinned. "How much of the bail do you get when you bring in a bounty?"

"Twenty percent," I said as he let out a low whistle. "I'm lucky. Most other Bounty Hunters I know make only ten to fifteen percent of the total bond."

"Just curious, how many cases a year do you average?" he asked as I shrugged.

"Eh, around a hundred to a hundred and fifty," I said before adding; "the bail bondsperson I work for always keeps me on my toes. She has a lot of clients she posts bail for who decide to skip outta town. Perks of living in a big city with lots of crime, I guess."

Which reminds me, I should probably call Cheri and tell her where I was and to not expect me back in LA for at least another week.

"Well, it might be hectic in the big city, but up here in Forks we don't get very much crime. We do, however, have a lot of maulings."

"So, what did the coroner find on the bodies?"

Brenton looked around as he shifted uncomfortably, "well, they did find hair which they sent off to the lab for testing."

I already knew where this was going, but I nodded for him to continue.

"And they found that the hair on the bodies didn't belong to any known species of Wolf," he said before adding; "or any member of the canine family for that matter."

"That's—" I shook my head, trying to sound as shocked as possible, "How is that even possible?"

"Who knows," he replied before adding; "there are other things they found as well, but I haven't heard those details yet. I think they're bringing in some experts from the University of Washington or something like that. They think they might be dealing with a previously undiscovered species of Wolf, which is bull if you ask me. I think there must've been a mix up at the lab or something, or we're dealing with a Werewolf."

He chuckled at his little joke, unaware of just how right he was.

"So, the attack last night," I began, "it was by the same animal then?"

He nodded, "we think so. They found more hairs on Adam Sudekis's body and they're sending them off to the lab. We're hoping that we can get a statement from Lisa Baker now that her condition is stable."

"Is she awake yet?"

He nodded, "she woke up early this morning, but she's really out of it. Poor kid, I don't blame her. I heard from the paramedics who took care of her that she kept mumbling about the Wolf."

"The Wolf that attacked her?" I asked as he shook his head.

"No, the Wolf that saved her," he said as I felt my eyes widen. "Apparently, she claimed that a Wolf, well actually a pack of Wolves rescued her from the _monster," _he said making air quotes around the word monster for an added emphasis. "And that's not all she said. Get this. Apparently one of the Wolves turned into a man who then carried her to safety and called 911."

I froze as Brenton chuckled, clearly amused by the poor girl's rant. "Can you imagine how much blood she must've lost to have hallucinated that?"

"Yeah, uh— that is quite the tale," I said, chuckling as I tried not to internally panic. I looked around at the crowd of people as I cleared my throat, a weight settling at the bottom of my stomach. "I um, I should get going. I have a lot I need to get done today."

"Oh," said Brenton, clearly disappointed that I was leaving so soon. I could sense his attraction for me, one that I, fortunately, did not share. "Well, hey. It was nice to see you again. Shay, right?"

I nodded, "yes, now if you'll excuse me—"

"Before you go, I was kinda hoping to ask whether or not you'd be interested in maybe grabbing a drink sometime. You and me?" he asked as he gave me a charming smile that I'm certain worked on all the ladies. Officer Brenton was a nice-looking guy and I'm sure he was very nice, but I was not interested. Like I said earlier, I don't date.

"That sounds nice and I'm flattered, but I'm leaving town soon," I said, leaving no room for further discussion as I watched him falter.

"Well, it doesn't have to be like a date or anything," he said as he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. "We could just, I don't know, talk? I know we haven't known each other long, but you seem like a nice gal."

"Look, I'm sorry," I began, "I'm just not in a position to be dating right now."

"Oh, well okay then," he said before he reached into his pocket and handed me his business card. "In case you change your mind."

"Um, thanks," I said as I shoved it into my pocket. "It was nice talking to you. Have a nice day."

I hurried back to my car and piled into the driver's seat as my phone buzzed in my back pocket. I pulled it out and frowned at the unfamiliar number displayed on the screen before hitting accept and holding it to my ear while I buckled my seatbelt.

"Hello?" I asked, hesitantly.

"Hi, is this Ms. Collins?" asked a vaguely familiar male voice on the other end as I frowned.

"This is her."

"Yeah, sorry to bother you but it's me, Earl. I wanted to call you and let you know that something came up unexpectedly and that I won't be able to finish the repairs on your car," he said as he wheezed. His voice sounded weird as if he was in pain or something.

"Is everything alright?" I asked, concerned.

"Well yes, and no. I managed to find myself in the hospital yesterday after I had a small heart attack," he said as my eyes widened. "I guess my old age and diet finally caught up with me. I'm stable now, but I won't be out of the hospital for a while and I have to have surgery here in a few days, so I won't be able to fix your car."

"Are you alright?" I asked as I switched my phone to the other ear and set my wallet down on the passenger seat.

"Oh, I'm fine, thank you for asking. The reason I called you is that while I won't be able to finish the repairs on your car, I know a few guys down on the Reservation who can finish the work for you at no extra charge. I already called the owner and explained the situation to him, and he'd be glad to tow your car down to his shop if you'd like."

"Well that's very thoughtful of you, Mr. Biggers," I said before adding; "thank you for arranging that for me."

"Wonderful!" he wheezed. "The name of the shop is Lahote's Auto Repair Shop. The guy that owns it is great. A little young, but he's a good kid and so are the other guys that work there. I can go ahead and give you their number and tell them to pick your car up when they can."

"Sounds great to me," I said as I grabbed a pen and napkin out of me console before jotting down the number to the shop.

"And again, I'm really sorry about all of this," he said as I chuckled.

"It's alright," I reassured him before adding; "it's not like you planned this all out."

He snorted, "yeah that's for sure."

I grinned, "well, you have a nice day. And I hope you get better soon."

As soon as the call ended, I rested my head on the headrest as I groaned in frustration. I wasn't mad at Earl for having a heart attack, but it certainly did make things more difficult when it came to fixing my car. Don't get me wrong, there was nothing wrong with the rental car that I had, but boy did I miss my baby. I couldn't wait until she was fixed and I was able to drive her again.

Starting up the car, I drove to the nearest place that I could get some coffee before deciding to make a quick stop back at the hotel room to grab a few things before I headed to the hospital. I parked my car and stepped out, shrieking as my foot landed in a huge puddle that came almost all the way up to my ankle thanks to backed-up drains. I glared down at my soaked feet as I slammed the car door shut, a torrential downpour of rain soaking me as I yanked my hoodie over my head and booked it to back to my room.

I ignored the amused look the owner of the Inn had on her face as she watched me from the lobby entrance, a cigarette in her hand as I heard her mutter disapprovingly under her breath, "Californians."

I rolled my eyes, but I knew there was some truth to her words. It was true people from Southern California had no idea how to function in the rain and I was no exception.

Fumbling for the key, I cursed as I struggled to get the key to turn in the ancient lock before the door finally opened and I barged in, happy to be out of the rain as I shivered, the warmth from the room washing over me as I froze, my eyes traveling over the three people sitting on my bed as if they owned the place. At first, I stiffened, my hand grasping the doorknob as the three figures turned to look at me. And then the smell hit me, the combined unique scents that I had grown used to over this past couple of years as I flipped the light on and sighed in relief.

Because standing there, in front of me, was my pack.

**OoO**

Ezra was the first to react as he walked over to me and enveloped me in a bone-crushing hug, his arms wrapped tightly around me as I allowed myself to breathe in his scent. We pulled apart after a few moments as I took the time to properly look at him for the first time in over a month.

"What the fuck did you do to your hair?" I asked as I ran my fingers through his now short locks, marveling at the fact that his once long and unruly curls were gone. He looked older now, especially with the stubble that was beginning to grow on his face.

"I cut it," he said as he wrestled my hand away, "stop touching it. You'll mess it up."

I laughed, "I leave for one month and you finally get a haircut. I'm shocked, Ezra. Truly shocked."

"Yeah well, that's what happens when you up and leave us," said Mason as he stepped forward. He looked as stoic as usual as we stared each other down for a few moments. I wondered if he was still angry at him for disobeying his orders, but if he was, he made no mention of it as he cracked a smile, dark eyes softening.

"Come here you," he said as he enveloped me in a ginormous hug, his bulging muscles pressing around me like a big, warm vice as he lifted me up off the ground and shook me. Remember when I said that I was by no means a small person? Well, I was small compared to my half-uncle, although he was not as large as—

I grimaced as I pushed Paul as far out of my mind as possible, not wanting him to ruin this moment.

"I just want you guys to know I didn't just up and leave," I said as I rolled my eyes. "I had a job to finish."

"That's no excuse," said Brenda as she stepped forward and enveloped me in one of her famous hugs, the smell of her perfume smacking me in the face as I inhaled the scent in, my arms wrapping around my best friend instinctively.

I suppose know would be a good time to let you know that while my pack annoys the shit out of me, excluding Brenda of course because she's an absolute gem and I'm glad she's with us, we all still love each other very much. Pack dynamics among Lycans is extremely intimate. We depend on each other, for love and support and for survival. In fact, a common saying among the Lycan community was that a Wolf without a pack was nothing more than a lost soul. But even then, there was no denying that there was wild, rugged beauty to be found in the Lone Wolf. They had the courage to walk their path alone, and the strength to face their fears alone.

"I'm sorry," I said as I pulled away from her. "I'll try not to take so long next time."

"You better," she replied as she glanced down at my outfit and let out a disappointed sigh. If there was one thing to know about Brenda, it was that she was the Queen of fashion. She was the sort of person who could easily grace the cover of Vogue with her delicate features and her pristine outfits. Right now, she was dressed in dark wash skinny jeans and a white halter top paired with a grey colored peacoat and black leather boots. Her straight black hair was partially covered by a violet-colored beanie that matched her scarf. She wasn't wearing any makeup, but she was still effortlessly beautiful.

I looked down at the oversized grey sweater that I had bought from the local shops, the words _ Home of the Spartans _plastered over the front along with a pair of ratty jeans and tennis. While I had thought that I had looked fine this morning, I knew I probably looked like a drowned cat with my sopping wet hair.

She raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow, "I hope this little town has a shopping mall because you need it, girl."

"I'm happy to see you too, all of you," I said as I looked around at my pack as I inhaled. "I'm glad you guys are here. Things around here are starting to get pretty hectic. The townspeople are on edge. Two people are dead, not including the deaths in the surrounding towns. We need to act fast before things get any worse."

"What did you find out?" asked Mason as he crossed his arms over his chest.

I licked my lips, "the attack last night left one dead and another in the hospital. I went to City Hall this morning and I spoke with an Officer. They know the hairs belong to a new species of Wolf and there are some people very eager to study it."

I watched as all of them stiffened before sharing uneasy looks. While it wasn't the worst news in the world, it wasn't that great either. So long as we kept these _experts _from finding out too much information about our kind, then hopefully it wouldn't cause too much trouble.

"The people want the authorities to Deputize a posse to hunt the animal down," I said as Ezra frowned.

"That's a fucking terrible idea," he said as both Mason and Brenda nodded in agreement. "If they do that, they'll just piss it off even more. Their weapons are no match against one of us."

"Not only that, but the wildlife will be in danger," said Brenda, forehead creased. "The native Wolf populations—"

"I know," I replied, heart heavy as I thought of my beautiful Wolf. "All they want is a hunt and this, unfortunately, gives them a good excuse to go out into the woods and kill any Wolf they see."

Brenda shook her head in disgust, her love for animals very apparent at that moment. "Don't they know that Wolves are an endangered species?"

"I don't think they care," said Mason before adding; "two of their own are dead. The people want security."

"So? That doesn't give them the right to kill those animals," replied Brenda as I nodded in agreement as I remembered something else that Brenton had told me.

I swallowed, "you know, this reminds me. He told me about some of the local Wolves…"

I trailed off, uncertain whether or not I should be sharing this news as I felt the expectant eyes of my pack on me. I sighed, realizing there was no going back as my Wolf's face flashed across my mind, the desire to protect him strong.

"What about the local Wolves?" asked Mason.

"Remember how I said I almost hit a Wolf?" I asked as they all nodded. "Well, there was something strange about him and his packmates. They— they were very big."

"Yeah, most Wolves are pretty big animals," said Ezra in confusion as I shook my head.

"No, you don't understand," I replied as I inhaled deeply. "These Wolves… They were the size of bears."

They all blinked in surprise.

"Bears?" asked Brenda, skeptically as I nodded.

"I kid you not. They were huge and there was something about them… Something _unnatural_."

Ezra shook his head, clearly not buying into my story, "that's impossible. No true Wolf is the size of a bear and neither is a fully transitioned Lycan. You must be mistaken."

I shifted uncomfortably as I thought back to what Officer Brenton had told me about the girl. He had told me that she had been coherent enough on the way to the hospital to tell the Paramedics that a Wolf who had turned into a man saved her. Most people would chalk her words up to shock and blood loss, which would be understandable considering the circumstances, but I knew that there was more to the story than even I knew. I could feel it, a pull at my natural instincts that told me she hadn't made it up.

Ezra noticed the shift in my attitude as he crossed his arms over his chest, "there's more, isn't there?"

My brother always had a way of reading me, and this was no exception.

I nodded, "I—I don't know what to make of it, but he told me something else. Something _disturbing."_

"What?" asked Brenda as I cleared my throat.

"The girl, the one that survived. While she was in the ambulance, she told the Paramedics that it was the Wolves who had saved her from the monster. Her words not mine, but that's not all. Apparently, she said that one of the Wolves turned into a man and carried her to safety."

They stiffened involuntarily as a tense silence settled between the three of them. I didn't blame them for being shocked seeing as I was still trying to understand it myself. There were simply no explanations for it unless one was willing to open their minds to the wider picture.

"That's— _strange,_" said Ezra under his breath before adding; "are you sure there are no other Lycans in the area besides us and the man-eater?"

"I would know if there were," I said as I shifted my weight yet again. "Look, I know it's strange and I'm still trying to make sense of it all, which was why I was planning on going to Forks General today and talking to her myself while she's still awake."

I wondered whether I should mention Paul and his friends and my suspicions of them, but something inside of me told me no. At least, not yet.

Mason nodded, "good idea. You and Brenda can go to the hospital while Ezra and I start canvassing the woods. How does that sound?"

We all nodded in agreement as we quickly gathered up our things and exited the room, my eyes falling immediately on Mason's truck as my eyes widened. There, along the back of the car were bullet holes. The evidence of their encounter with the Werewolf Hunters in Portland apparently.

I let out a low whistle as I knelt down and examined the damage, my fingers tracing a couple of the little holes, "holy guacamole. You weren't kidding when you said they shot at you guys. How many of them were there?"

"Just three," muttered Mason under his breath.

I raised my eyebrows, "not nearly enough to take on three Lycans."

"Well they were prepared," replied Mason as he reached into his pocket and threw something at me. Instinctively, I caught it as I hissed, the familiar burning and tingling sensation enough to catch me by surprise as I looked down at the silver bullet shell casing in my hand. "Found it in the bed of my truck a few hours later."

"I'm not surprised," I said as I dropped it to the ground and wiped my burned hand on my jeans before looking down, watching as my skin began to heal itself. "I'm just glad none of them hit you guys."

Unlike the _Others _who had almost no known weaknesses, Lycans were different. We had weaknesses because we were more human than Vampires could ever hope to be, but that didn't make us any less fierce.

There was, after all, a reason why the Vampires feared us. They wouldn't have tried to wipe us out if they hadn't.

"We'll meet you guys back here later," said Mason as I nodded. "And let's try to keep a low profile while we're at it. I don't want those Hunters finding us again."

With that, Brenda and I piled into my rental car while Mason and Ezra headed off into the woods. The rain was finally beginning to die down as I drove, for which I was thankful. I pulled up in front of the hospital and parked while we both made our way in, the sterile smell enough to want to make me gag as I scrunched up my nose in disgust.

We got directions to the patient rooms, which were on the third level as we made our way up there. Stepping out of the elevator, I ignored the smell of blood and sterility as I inhaled deeply, my eyes traveling over to the fourth door on the right. I could smell the Werewolf still on the girl as both Brenda and I glanced at each other before glancing at the Nurses station, where a few people were at.

"You go," whispered Brenda before nodding towards the station, "I got this."

"Thanks," I whispered as I watched Brenda saunter up to the counter, heels clicking on the floor as she smiled widely at the male nurse and began to flirt away. The other Nurse was distracted with her charting and there was no one else there as I quietly slipped into the room.

There, lying on the bed and wrapped head to toe in bandages and gauze, was a young girl. Her eyes were open and she was awake, but I could tell that she was on a morphine drip as she stared blankly at the wall, not having noticed my presence yet.

"Um, hello," I said, as softly as I could so as to not startle her, "are you Lisa Baker?"

She looked at me with glassy green eyes as she gave me a weak nod.

I stepped closer to her, my eyes traveling over her as I assessed the damage. She was pale and I could tell that she was struggling to stay coherent, her dull eyes widening before going slack, as if she was trying to stave off sleep as she licked her chapped lips.

"Who are you?" she asked as I cleared my throat.

"My name is Shay," I began, "I'm here to ask you a few questions. Is that okay?"

"I already told the police—"

"I know," I said as she closed her eyes. I hated to make her relive her trauma like this, but I needed to know everything that happened out in those woods. "But I'm not like the other cops you talked to. I'm different."

"How?" she asked as she narrowed her eyes.

I leaned forward, "because I know that it wasn't a Wolf that attacked you last night, despite what everyone else is saying."

She stared at me for a few long moments before she started to shake her head, "no, no. It was a Wolf. It had to be."

She sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than she was me as she stared at me with wide, open eyes. I could see the pain in them as well as the denial. The denial of what really happened out in those woods.

"I think you and I both know that it wasn't," I said after a few moments, by voice low and calming. "I know that you think no one would believe you if you told the truth about what you really saw out there. I also know that you did try to tell the paramedics, but they all thought that you were delirious."

"And you don't?" she asked before adding; "do you know how much blood I lost?"

I nodded, "probably quite a bit, but that's not the point."

She gave me an uneasy look. "What is it you want to know?"

I glanced out at the Nurses station where I could see Brenda still flirting away. None of them had noticed us yet.

"Did it bite you?" I asked as she frowned. She obviously thought that the question was weird, but it was important that I know. Actually, scratch that. It wasn't important that I knew, it was _imperative._

"It attacked me," she said as I nodded.

"Yes, but did it bite you?" I asked again as she shifted in her bed, eyes traveling down to her arm that was covered by the blanket before she looked up at me and nodded.

"Before, it just— sort of scratched me up," she began before adding; "I thought it was going to eat me like it did Adam, but it looked at me and…"

"And?"

She swallowed, "it looked at me and said _mine. _Then it bit me."

She trailed off as I gently lifted the blanket up and stared at the skin

"Shit," I muttered under my breath as I stared at her, realization dawning on me.

"What?" she asked, nervously as she looked down at her arms, eyes widening.

"Where did it go?" she asked as she marveled at the smooth skin, unable to see any sort of indication that she had ever been bitten there in the first place. It was already healed, which meant that she hadn't rejected the bite. It had already taken and by the next full moon, the transition would be complete. She would be a Werewolf.

"Lisa," I said, slowly, "what happened next?"

Her eyes darkened, "you wouldn't believe me. No one did."

"Try me," I challenged as I put my hands on my hips and stared expectantly down at her as she swallowed.

"And then I was saved," she said before adding; "by a Wolf who turned into a—"

"What are you doing in here?" asked a female voice from behind us as I cursed under my breath. I turned around to see an older Nurse in blue scrubs staring at me expectantly as she placed her hands on her hips. "Visiting hours are over. No one except medical staff is authorized to be in here. Who are you?"

I could see Brenda behind her as she whispered an apology, mouthing the word _sorry _under her breath as I nodded to let her know it was alright. I would deal with the Nurse on my own.

"I'm sorry, I appear to be in the wrong room," I said before glancing back at Lisa. I mouthed the words _we'll talk later _under my breath before swiftly walking past the Nurse and making my way out of the patient ward, Brenda hot on my heels.

"I am so sorry," she said. "I did not notice her."

"It's alright," I said as we both got into the elevator. "I got all the information I need and more."

"I know," replied Brenda before adding; "I overheard everything."

"We need to tell the others. If it's true… If he's doing that then we're in a lot more trouble than we originally thought," I said as the elevator door opened and we made our way to the exit, my eyes traveling over the lobby before something— or rather _someone _made me stop dead in my tracks.

Instinctually, I stiffened as I stared at him, my eyes traveling over his broad chest that was accentuated by a form-fitting black henley. He looked just as surprised to see me as he stopped, our eyes never once leaving each other as I exhaled.

_Oh boy. Here we go again. _

**OoO**

**Coming Next:** **A look into Shay's past, a long-awaited apology, and the business of imprinting**

**AN: This one was a long chapter, almost 16 pages! But rest assured, Shay and Paul will finally have their long-overdue talk in the next chapter. I know you guys have been waiting anxiously and I was going to include it in this chapter, but I decided to split it up into two chapters. Also, I would really like to thank everyone once again for your support. I am very thankful to have received the feedback that I have :)**

**Also, Happy Holidays!**


	7. Chapter 7

_"Soulmates aren't the ones who make you happiest, no. They're instead the ones who make you feel the most. Burning edges and scars and stars. Old pangs and pains. Captivation and beauty. Strain and shadows and worry and yearning. Sweetness and madness and dreamlike surrender. They hurl you into the abyss. They taste like hope."_

_-Victoria Erickson_

_"If you call one Wolf, you invite the pack."_

_-Bulgarian Proverb_

**OoO**

_"Shay, wake up."_

_Someone was gently nudging her awake, their hands shaking her lightly as she awoke from her slumber, blinking up at the silhouette of a man illuminated by moonlight._

_"Come on, sleepyhead. Wake up," whispered her father as he stood over her._

_"Daddy?" she whispered as she rubbed her eyes, staring around her room in confusion. It was way past her bedtime, and she didn't understand why her father was adamant about her waking up. "What is it?"_

_He leaned down and nudged her once again, "come on sweet pea. I want to show you something."_

_"What is it?" she asked as she pushed her pink barbie covers back and got out of bed, the hair on her arms sticking up as she left the warmth of her covers in her only her nightie. "Is it the baby?"_

_He shook his head as he motioned for her to follow him, "no, just come on. You gotta come see this before it's too late." _

_She followed him out into the living room as he unlocked the back-patio doors before carefully sliding them open so as to not wake the other occupants of the house. He turned to her and held one finger over his lips to keep her quiet as he nodded for her to step out._

_She shivered as she stepped out, her arms wrapping tight around herself as she stared out at the vast, dark forest that surrounded their house on either side. It was the dead of night, but the moon was shining bright in the sky, not yet full but getting close as she stared up at it, the wind nipping at her hair and skin._

_Her father, who had just obviously gotten off work, unzipped his heavy winter police jacket before wrapping her up tightly in it. It was far too large on her tiny frame, looking much more like a dress than an actual coat as she huddled in it, his scent all that she could smell as she inhaled deeply. _

_"Daddy?" she whispered as she looked up at him, still confused as to why they were outside on the patio in the dead of night. "What are we doing?"_

_"Do you see them?" he asked as he pointed out at the trees, forcing the five-year-old to peer into the dark before shaking her head._

_"I don't see anything," she exclaimed, a little too loud as he held his finger over his mouth again._

_"Keep looking," he said as he hoisted her up so that she could see over the wood railing. She stared out for a few moments before something in the corner of her eye moved._

_"There," he said as he pointed again, "did you see it?"_

_"I think," she squinted as the thing moved again. She watched as a big furry creature stalked out from behind a tree. It took her a few seconds before she began to wave her hands excitedly._

_"Daddy!" she said, trying and failing to keep her giddiness at bay. "Daddy, look! It's a Wolf!"_

_There, situated between the trees was a beautiful grey Timber Wolf. It had its nose pressed to the ground as it sniffed around the forest floor before it looked at them with large, dark eyes._

_"Shh," he whispered. "Quiet, Shay. We don't want to scare them off."_

_"Them?" she asked in confusion. From where she was, she could only see the one Wolf, but then there was more movement in between the trees as two more Wolves stepped out, these ones even larger than the first one. One was pure black while the other one was a dark brown color. The brown one nudged the grey Wolf with his snout as Shay watched._

_ "Aren't they beautiful?" said her father as he stared at them. "I saw them out here when I got home. They were out on the driveway together. I think there might've been another one, but I don't know where he went."_

_"It's a pack," said Shay before adding; "just like us, daddy."_

_"Yeah, sweet pea. Just like us."_

**OoO**

An awkward silence settled in between the three of us. The type of silence that seemed to slow time itself down and bring everything into perspective, making everything seem so much more vibrant, like the look in Paul's eyes when he saw me.

He looked relieved to see me at first as if a great weight had just been taken off his shoulders and he could finally breathe again. He also looked _strangely _happy at the same time as he stared at me longingly, as if I was some rare jewel locked away in a glass case meant only for viewing. So close and yet so far away at the same time, a combination that seemed to describe the way that Paul was staring at me right now.

And honestly, I wasn't sure how to feel about that as we continued to stare at each other, Brenda standing awkwardly next to me as she looked between the two of us worriedly.

"Uh—" she began as she focused on me, her hand grasping my arm tightly, "Shay?"

My expression must've been something to behold as Paul cleared his throat, finally looking away from me and towards Brenda. He opened his mouth to say something, but I beat him to the punch as I narrowed my eyes. If this knucklehead thought that he could be rude to me, then he had something else coming for him.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, mirroring his first words to me as I crossed my arms over my chest, only slightly enjoying the way that he looked like a deer trapped in the headlights. I almost felt bad for him, but then I remembered how rude he had been to me at the Vigil and I suddenly didn't really care.

As if on cue, the same guy that had been with him at the police station and the Vigil rounded the corner, his gaze falling on me as his eyes widened. "Oh shit," he muttered under his breath as he looked over at Paul worriedly as if waiting for him to explode or something as I rolled my eyes.

"Seriously?" I asked as I looked back at Paul. "What are you two? Stalkers? How come it is I see you two everywhere I go?"

Seeing them three times in three days was too much of a coincidence for me as I glared at Paul. I watched as the corners of his mouth turned downward into a frown, his once neutral demeanor turning sour in the blink of an eye. I could tell that he was struggling not to get angry, settling on a hardened look instead as he crossed his arms over his broad chest.

"Well this is a small town in case you haven't noticed," he retorted as I raised my eyebrows. "People do tend to run into each other a lot here."

"Actually," began his friend as he stepped forward, "what he means to say is that we're not stalkers—" he said as he jabbed his elbow into his friend's side before glaring at him, "we're just here to visit someone who is a patient here."

Paul rolled his eyes, "we don't have to explain ourselves to you. This is a hospital. We have every right to be here, Lady."

"Whatever," I mumbled as I grabbed onto a flustered Brenda, "we're leaving anyway. Have a nice visit."

With that, I pushed past Paul and his friend as I pulled Brenda behind me. I wished that I could say I was horrified at my blatant rudeness to the both of them, but there was something about Paul that seemed to ignite within me every time I was near him. The Wolf inside of me was restless, but I knew better than to give into it. As infuriating as Paul was, I wasn't going to let him have that control over me.

_"Wait."_

Looking back at this moment, I have no idea what compelled me to stop dead in my tracks. I think it might've been the pain in his voice. Or maybe it had been the aching longing that gripped at me. Whatever it was, it stopped me cold.

"I'm sorry," he said, his voice altogether neutral save for the slight hint of remorse. "You probably think I'm a giant asshole—"

His friend snorted at that, much to my amusement as I heard Paul clear his throat from behind me.

"But I'm not trying to be rude to you," he said before adding; "at least, not on purpose. I was just surprised to see you here."

"And I suppose you were surprised to see me at the Vigil too?" I asked as I turned to face him, keeping my demeanor as steady as I could as I leveled my gaze on him; challenging him. In all of my years in Law Enforcement, I had perfected the _look _to a tee. The look that told everyone that I was not to be messed with. Not only that, but eye contact in Lycan and canine terms was a direct challenge or even a threat. Most people couldn't help but avert their gazes when they stared into the eyes of a Lycan, but not Paul.

Paul never once looked away. He wasn't scared to look into my eyes, even now as he too leveled his gaze at me.

"Look, I'm sorry about that," he said shaking his head. "I didn't mean to treat you like that. You just caught me off guard."

I raised my eyebrows skeptically as I turned to face him. I crossed my arms over my chest, "oh, and that's an excuse?"

He shook his head, "well, no but—"

"But what?" I asked, patiently awaiting his response with bated breath. I could see that he was trying his damned hardest not to lose his cool with me, which seemed to be a habit of his as I watched the corners of his mouth twitch.

"Look, dude," I said as I stepped closer to him, so close that we were standing probably less than a foot away. With how short I was compared to him, I was perfectly eye level with his broad chest as his natural scent invaded my senses. He smelled strangely— _natural, _like pine and cedar. It was a musky scent, one that reminded me of the woods. Just being this close to him made the Wolf in me restless, but I held fast as I stared up at him.

_Damn. Was I really that short compared to him?_

"I don't give a flying rats ass how you treated me back there. What I care about is the fact that you had to go and make a huge deal about it," I sneered before adding; "at a memorial service for a little girl no less. Have you no sense of respect?"

"Look, I said I was sorry. I know what I did was a real dick move, but I don't know how many times you want me to apologize to you," he said, his voice much calmer than I had anticipated. "So you're just going to have to take it or leave it."

"_Fine," _I said, gritting and grinding my teeth in thinly veiled annoyance, "I accept your apology. Now leave me alone."

He didn't say anything more to me as he gave me an unreadable expression, the rigidness in his shoulders enough to tell me that he didn't buy my words. For a fleeting second, I swore that I could see hurt flash across his dark eyes, but I didn't want to dwell on it any further as I averted my gaze.

"Come on, Brenda," I said as I grabbed her hand, more than ready to leave at that point. "Let's get out of here."

I turned to look at her but froze at the strange sight that I was met with. Brenda, who had been strangely silent for most of the show, was locked into an intense staring contest with Paul's friend. Well, actually, it was more like a one-sided staring contest as Paul's friend practically ogled at Brenda, staring at her like she was God's greatest gift to mankind.

It was intense and at the same time, creepy. Very creepy.

"Oh hell no," I muttered under bated breath as I grabbed a hold of a confused and flustered Brenda before glancing back at Paul, who didn't seem in the least bit fazed by the strange sight. "Both of you stay the hell away from us."

I dragged Brenda way from the two knuckleheads, my hand practically digging into her skin in my rush to get us both out of there.

"What— what the fuck was that?" asked Brenda, flustered. "Who were those guys?"

I shook my head, "just some guys."

"You knew him," she said, yanking herself out of my grip as we came to a halt in the middle of the parking lot. "And the other guy—"

"They're weird, okay?" I said as I ran a hand through my hair, agitated. "Look, I don't know how to explain it to you. I accidentally bumped into Paul and he's had it out for me ever since. I don't know what his problem is."

"Shay," she said, eyes wide. "I don't think those guys are human. Did you smell them? They smell— _wrong. _And that guy, the way that he was staring at me…"

She glanced nervously back at the hospital doors and I could tell that there was a lot going on in her head as she bit her lip pensively. Brenda had always had good instincts, especially for someone who had been bitten rather than born and I had always trusted her intuition, even though I really didn't need it because I sensed it too.

I dared a glance back at the hospital entrance where I could still see the two of them. They hadn't moved, but their eyes were still on us. I could tell just from their expressions that they had heard everything, even though we were well out of hearing range for humans.

I felt my breath catch in my throat as a shiver ran up my spine.

"You're right," I found myself saying, my eyes still on Paul, "they're not."

**OoO**

Before imprinting, Embry could definitively list two moments in his life that defined him. The first was finding out when he was in preschool that he didn't have a father and the second was exploding into a giant-ass Wolf over Christmas break his sophomore year and finding out that he was the product of a scandalous affair between his mother and one of three men.

Oh, and the third was imprinting on a woman he didn't even know and who was definitely not human.

As far as crappy life events went, Embry was par for the course. Although he was still trying to process the fact that he had even imprinted in the first place as he stared at the two hastily retreating women, his pained eyes following the smaller of the two as he felt his chest tighten involuntarily. The Wolf inside of him grew restless as he watched his imprint disappear out of view.

"Dude," muttered Paul under his breath, "did you hear what they just said?"

Embry nodded, his mouth growing dryer by the second as he tried to formulate the words to even describe what was running through his mind at the moment. _Brenda, _the name danced through his mind. It was perfect— _she was perfect._

From the moment he had looked into her eyes, it was as if the clouds had finally lifted.

"Embry?" said Paul, snapping him out of his reverie. "You alright, man?"

Embry swallowed, finally looking over at Paul as he shook his head, still trying to make sense of what had happened.

"I— I don't know," was all he said as Paul's eyes softened, an understanding look crossing his features as he let out a long sigh, his eyes traveling over to where his own imprint had stood only moments before.

"Yeah, I know the feeling," he said before adding; "come on, Em. Let's go and find the others. They'll wanna know about this."

Embry groaned as he thought about the pack and what they're reaction would be like. "Dude, I am so fucked."

Paul nodded as he replied matter-of-factly. "Welcome to the club."

**OoO**

"Embry did what?!"

Leah's voice carried throughout Sam and Emily's kitchen, making everyone present wince as Leah stared at Paul and Embry as though they had simultaneously grown two heads, her half-eaten toast forgotten in her hands. After what had happened at the hospital, both Paul and Embry had high-tailed it back to the house to share what they had found with the rest of the pack as well as the Elders.

And it was going about as well as expected.

"Oh dear," muttered Emily under her breath. "This complicates things."

"Forget about Embry imprinting," muttered Jared under his breath. "She actually said that?"

Paul and Embry shared an unreadable glance as the former nodded, his arms crossing over his chest as he addressed the rest of them. "Word for word."

"Why do you all look surprised?" asked an irate Leah as she crossed her arms over her chest. "We already knew she wasn't human. We know what they are, Carlisle already told us."

"Yeah we know," said Paul pointedly, Carlisle's explanation still all too fresh in their minds as he narrowed his eyes at her. "You don't have to rehash it for us."

"Apparently I do," she retorted before adding, humorlessly; "Because you two nimrods just had to go and imprint on them."

"As if we had any choice in the matter," replied Paul before adding; "what is wrong with you, Clearwater? You think either one of us wanted this?"

"I never said that," she replied before adding; "stop putting words into my mouth. You know damn well I know how imprinting works. What I'm saying is that you two imprinting on _them _has put the entire pack in an awkward position, if not at risk. We don't know these people or what they're even capable of. For all we know they could be man-eating monsters and that thing could be their Alpha!"

Embry growled, low and threatening as Paul's entire body went rigid.

"_Leah_," said Sam, his voice full of command as he gave her a tight, unimpressed look. He didn't have to use words to tell her to _tread lightly _when discussing other packmates' imprints.

"No," said Embry, finally finding his voice for the first time. "That thing in the woods—" he paused as he tried to find the right words to articulate what was on his mind, "there wasn't anything human left of it. It was completely blank. It was—"

He trailed off, words failing him.

"Embry?" asked Billy, his voice full of concern. "What are you trying to say?"

He swallowed, "look, I don't know how I know, but you're wrong Leah. They may be Children of the Moon, but they're not monsters. And I'm not just saying that cause I imprinted."

"I think Embry's right," said Seth, breaking his own silence as he glanced around the room, taking in the tense scene before him. "Obviously the Spirits chose them for a reason, or else it wouldn't have happened to begin with."

"Your point being?" asked Jared as all eyes fell on Seth.

Seth swallowed, "I guess what I'm trying to say is that just because they're not human doesn't mean that they're bad. I mean, look at the Cullen's. Sure, they're Vampires, but they don't hurt people…"

"Seth?" asked Sue as she gave her son an appraising look. "What are you trying to say?"

Seth shrugged, "maybe they're good Werewolves."

"Seth," said Jared as he shook his head, "you know what Carlisle said about their kind. He said they can't control themselves—"

"He said that about some Werewolves," remarked Seth before adding; "that doesn't mean every Werewolf is like that. And even he said he doesn't know much about them, so it's not like we can take his word for granted."

"What are you proposing?" asked Leah sarcastically. "That we invite them over for brunch and ask them why they're here?"

"Why not?" asked Seth, ever the optimist. "This could be an opportunity to learn more about them and vice versa. I mean, it's pretty clear they know we're not human either so why don't we just get it all out in the open and go from there?" he said before adding; "besides, they probably know more about how to stop this thing before it kills more people. In fact, that's probably why they're here."

"What do you two think?" asked Sam as he leveled his gaze on both Paul and Embry, who had remained unceremoniously quiet for the last few moments as they both considered Seth's words.

"I think there's more going on around here than what meets the eye," said Paul before adding; "look, I may not be fond of the whole imprint thing and being permanently tied to one person for the rest of my life, but I know a monster when I see one and she's not it. The same goes for Embry's imprint."

"I agree with Seth," said Sue. "Carlisle is wise, and we appreciate the knowledge that he has shared with us, but even he said himself that he does not know much about their kind. The only way that we can truly find out if they pose a threat to the Tribe is to talk with them."

"Then it's settled," said Billy as he addressed Sam. "We will confront these— _people, _whoever they may be, and hopefully we will learn more about them and their kind."

"And if they do pose a threat?" asked Leah as she eyed both Paul and Embry, her arms still crossed over her chest as she leaned against the counter.

It was obvious that no one wanted to answer the question as a tense silence settled throughout the room.

After a few moments, Billy spoke again. He looked troubled. They all did.

"Then we'll do what we must."

**OoO**

**Coming Next: First contact, Wolves, and a horrible realization**

**AN: Let me first start off by apologizing for the very late update. I have no excuse except that I was in a serious funk and for some reason, I just couldn't seem to get the words to flow, but alas after much meditation, headaches, and three chapter rewrites I finally got this chapter done. Yay!**

**Also, thank you for the comments and support. I know you guys probably hate me right now. I know you were probably expecting Paul and Shay to reconcile with each other this chapter, but that would've been too easy…But at least Paul apologized, so there's that? **

**I know. I'm evil. **

**Incorrect Quote of the day:**

**Shay: **I don't feel so good. I have a headache that won't go away.

**Paul: ***walks into the room*

**Shay: **Oh look, there it is again


	8. Chapter 8

_"If you can't face the Wolves, don't go into the forest."_

_-Alexandra Udinov_

_"Hate is a very exciting emotion."_

_-Rita Hayworth; Gilda (1946)_

**OoO**

The woods did not disappoint.

There, in the muddy undergrowth, were Wolf tracks. They were impossibly large; so large that they could easily be mistaken for Bear tracks, and yet Mason knew that these were not Bear tracks.

"Do you think that these belong to the Wolves that Shay was telling us about?" asked Ezra, sniffing the air around them as Mason knelt down, uncaring of the mud that stained his jeans. He reached out a hand to trace the outline of one print, mesmerized by the sheer size of it. He couldn't help but marvel at it, a small part of him wishing to meet the Beast that had made it.

And yet at the same time, he couldn't help as a sense of danger washed over him as the hairs on his neck stood up, the Alpha Wolf inside of him beginning to grow restless as he stared down at the prints. Shay had been right about there being other Wolves, but Mason had not been prepared for this.

"These do not belong to wild Wolves," said Mason as he bit his lip, eyebrows creasing in deep concentration.

"Well if they're not Lycan then what—"

_Snap._

Both Werewolves whipped around at the faint, but audible sound that echoed through the trees; too soft for normal human ears to pick up on but definitely loud enough for Lycan ears as they looked in the direction from which it came.

The trees were too thick to see anything. Still, the hairs on the back of Mason's neck stood straight up as a slight breeze rustled through the evergreens, bringing with it a scent that reminded him of wet dog. It wasn't an unpleasant smell nor was it overpowering, but it was foreign.

_Unlike anything they had ever come across in their entire lives._

He couldn't help the feral growl that bubbled out of his chest as Ezra stiffened beside him.

Silence.

_Whoosh._

Something shot past them in the woods, a streak of grey against a backdrop of green; too fast for human eyes to follow, but not for them as they watched it disappear into the thick undergrowth.

_Whoosh._

"Mason?" came Ezra's voice. He could tell that his half-nephew was scared, although he wouldn't have been able to tell if it had not been for the pounding of his heart in his chest from the adrenaline. Mason, on the other hand, was far more composed as he hardened his gaze, staring into the depths of the forest as he willed for their silent watchers to make themselves known.

"They're watching us."

"Who?" asked Ezra.

"Them," said Mason, nodding towards the tree line where a large black Wolf sat watching them, his gaze never once leaving the two Lycans. He was flanked by two other Wolves who were just as large, all of three of them staring at them.

"There's more," whispered Ezra as he discreetly nodded to his left to where a large brown Wolf stood watching them as well with eyes that were far too human to belong to any animal.

Mason glanced back at the black Wolf, his instincts telling him that this was the Alpha as they both stared at each other, challengingly. It was almost as if the black Wolf was daring him to make a move against him and his pack.

"Why are they just staring at us?" whispered Ezra, eyebrows furrowed. "Aren't they going to attack us?"

Mason shook his head, "no."

"Why not? They outnumber us," said Mason before adding; "what are they waiting for?"

"Calm down, kid," muttered Mason under his breath. "They're not going to attack us. They're sending us a message."

"And that is?"

"That they're watching us," answered Mason, not missing a beat as he glanced at his half-nephew with an unreadable look. "Your sister was right. Those are not normal Wolves."

**OoO**

There were not enough words in the human language to describe the emotions that I was feeling as I watched Forks General disappear out of my rearview mirror. I felt as though I had stepped into the Twilight Zone, and I knew just from looking at Brenda that she felt the same way.

The sky at that point had turned dark and threatening as thunder clapped in the distance. Big, fat raindrops began to fall. Slow and steady at first until it was an all-out flood. I wish I could say that after a few days in this depressing little town that I was used to the insane amount of water that fell from the sky, but then I would be lying.

"Who were those guys?" Brenda's voice broke the silence as I drove aimlessly around, uncertain where I was going.

I bit my lip as I shook my head. I wished I had the answer to that, but no matter how much I racked my brain, I couldn't come up with a logical conclusion. I was at a complete loss, which only seemed to full my anxiety and irritability even more.

"I don't know."

"Do you have any idea what they are?" she asked.

"Do you?" I said as I looked at her, my grip on the steering wheel tightening as she pursed her lips.

We lapsed into silence. After a few moments of my driving and her watching the passing tree line with something akin to mild interest. The sound of the rain pelting against the windshield that only sound that could be heard save for the rhythmic motion of the wipers. I broke the silence. "Look, obviously there's something going on around here. Something that we don't know about."

"So, were you planning on telling us about those guys are not?" she said as she crossed her arms over her chest, clearly upset with me at the moment, not that I could blame her.

"To be honest, no," I replied before adding; "at least, not until I knew more about them."

"Shay—"

"I know," I said without missing a beat. "I should've told you guys about them. I just—" I paused as I bit my lip, uncertain how to phrase things, "there's something about them. I don't know how to explain it."

"Uh, besides them not being human?" she asked as if it was the most obvious thing in the world, which it should've been. But there was something else there as well. Something I couldn't explain. And boy, did it nag at me.

I wanted to say something more, but the words failed me.

Silence settled in between the two of us once again as the car rolled to a stop at the light. I let my head fall back against the headrest, the tension in my neck and my shoulders increasing as I gripped the wheel tightly, as if it were the only thing grounding me to reality. I closed my eyes as I inhaled deeply, allowing myself this small reprieve as I collected my thoughts.

"Do you think they're dangerous?" she asked after a few moments, snapping me out of my reverie and bringing me back into the present. I chewed my lip as I considered her question.

Every fiber in my body seemed to tingle with silent confirmation that yes, they were. My thoughts raced back to the Vigil, the way that he was staring at me. I could never forget the look in his eyes. The pure, unadulterated hatred combined with a hunger that made my skin crawl.

But then again, I remembered the look that he had given me when he saw me step out of the elevator and I could feel my body begin to relax again. I didn't know how to explain it, as if words could even begin to describe the full complexity of my thoughts and emotions.

Spoiler alert, they couldn't.

"Look, I can't explain it," I finally said after a few moments; "but every time I'm near him I feel like I'm going to snap and lose control."

"What do your Lycan senses tell you?" she asked.

That he was a Wolf in Sheep's clothing, only pretending to be what he wasn't. But then again, the same could be said about me.

"I don't know," I said as stared out at the shops that lined the streets. Even though it was raining cats and dogs, the people seemed used to it as they casually went about their business, completely unaware that death was stalking them. "I think it's this town. I think it's affecting me."

"What do you mean?"

I shook my head as I glanced in the rearview mirror, suddenly feeling very stupid as I realized that I was not making a lick of sense. Still, there was something I needed to get off my chest. "I don't know to explain it without it sounding crazy, but there's something not right about this town. I could feel it from the moment I stepped foot here. We don't belong here."

Brenda scoffed, "you're right. You do sound crazy."

"But you feel it too, don't you?" I implored. "The atmosphere here… Isn't it strange?"

Brenda chuckled, her gaze falling on the passing tree line with an ease that made me jealous. "Yeah, it's not polluted."

"That's not what I meant," I said as the corners of my lips tugged upwards. Brenda was right, the air here was the cleanest I had ever breathed in my entire life. It was a far cry from the cloud of smog that lingered over LA like a blanket. I admit, as much as I loved the city, my olfactory senses were relieved by the fresh, clean air of the Pacific Northwest. I swear I could smell the ocean and taste the salt, even from here.

She shrugged, "I don't know. I mean, I guess there is something— _odd _about this place."

I snorted, "maybe it's just something in the water. There is, after all, a lot of it."

"It's probably steroids," said Brenda before adding; "did you see how big those two guys were? I mean come on. No one gets to that size without help."

I laughed in agreement, but the eerie feeling that had originated from deep in my gut remained. I didn't know what it meant, but one thing was for certain.

Steroids or not, there was definitely something strange about this town.

**OoO**

Mason and Ezra were already seated by the time Brenda and I had arrived at the Carver Café, a small but quaint little diner that was apparently the most popular restaurant in Forks— and I could easily see why. The entire place was packed, the atmosphere loud and stuffy as I glanced around the place, the smell of grease and cooked meat assaulting my nose.

We were apparently just in time for the dinner crowd.

Barely anybody paid us any attention upon entering, but I could still feel a few gazes on us as we made our way towards the back booth where Mason and Ezra were waiting for us, neither one of us failing to notice the grim looks on their faces.

"So, should we share what we found out today or would you like to go first?" I asked as I slid into the booth, my hands folded neatly in front of me as I looked at them.

"So, your visit to the hospital was forthcoming then," said Mason as he leaned back in his seat, his hand resting easily on the table as he regarded us. I knew that he was trying to look relaxed, but I could see the tension in his neck and shoulders.

I inhaled, "the girl… You know, the one that was attacked last night and survived?"

"Yeah," said Ezra. "Is she alright?"

"She's infected."

"Did it take?" asked Mason, not even missing a beat.

I nodded as I sipped my water, my throat feeling suddenly very dry all of a sudden as silence lapsed between all four of us, everyone else taking the time to process the news.

Ezra shook his head, "this is bad. Really bad. This means—"

"He's trying to build a pack," finished Brenda as I nodded, my gaze immediately falling on my Alpha as he took in the news with as much composure as he could, his jaw going slack as he began to massage his temple.

"And if he's trying to build a pack, then he must know we're here," said Brenda, her eyes darting between Mason and I nervously.

"Not necessarily," began Mason, lifting his head and exhaling sharply.

I narrowed my eyes, "what do you mean?"

"Well…" he paused, lips twitching. "Let's just say, we found something in the woods."

"What?" I asked. "What did you guys find?"

"We found your big-ass Wolves," Ezra replied. "They were following us the entire time and they were— listening to us too."

I could feel my breath hitch at my brother's words as an involuntary shudder ran up my back. I wanted to respond, but the words died in my mouth as I thought back to the night of the accident, my hands curling in anticipation.

"I knew it," I muttered. "I knew they weren't Wolves, at least not real ones."

"Then what are they?" asked Ezra, his voice lower than normal.

"How am I supposed to know?" I asked in exasperation. "Why does everybody expect me to have all the answers? I'm as much in the dark here as you guys are."

"We can worry about where they fall in the supernatural animal kingdom later," said Brenda. "The first thing we need to do is find out if they had anything to do with the killings. If they're a threat, then we'll deal with them as well."

Paul's face flashed before my eyes as a low growl began to bubble in my chest. I didn't know why, but the thought of anything happening to him put me on edge, the Wolf inside of me growing more and more restless.

Why did I suddenly feel so protective of someone I didn't even know?

"I agree with Brenda," began Mason, firmly. "There's clearly more at play here than we know and I don't like it. But we need to careful as well. This is not our territory and they've made it clear that they are watching us, whatever they are."

His words lingered in the air as an uncomfortable silence settled between the four of us. I turned to look out the window at the passing cars, my eyes falling on the tree line that started just on the other side of the road. It was still raining, but it had turned into a slight drizzle by then as a sense of unease coursed through me.

"So, what do we do?" asked Ezra before adding; "the next full moon is coming up soon. You know he'll try to claim the girl and anybody else he bites by then. With a pack by his side, he'll be stronger than ever before."

"Even if we manage to get the girl away from him, she'll still be tied to him," I said. "He's her Alpha. He's the one who bit her and if he comes to claim her…"

"She can learn to resist him," stated Brenda, giving everyone a pointed look. "The Alpha bond can be broken. I broke mine."

I shook my head as I considered her words. It sounded all nice and dandy to just sever the bond that was between an Alpha and his pack members, but it wasn't as easy as it sounded. It was actually much more complicated than that. "She's not going to have any control and he's going to take advantage of that. Even if we managed to keep her away from him and trained her, it would take years before she had enough control to sever the bond."

"You were lucky," said Mason as he addressed Brenda; "Your Alpha never claimed you. It's much easier to break the bond if you're never claimed."

It was true that Brenda had never been claimed by the Lycan who had bitten her outside of a nightclub in downtown LA on her twenty-first birthday. Instead, Mason had found her wandering Caballero Canyon the morning after her first full moon, disoriented and confused. Her Alpha had never once tried to claim her, so we took her in and trained her. Just as Mason had claimed Ezra and I as children in the years following our parent's death, he had claimed Brenda as being a part of his pack as well.

But could we do the same with Lisa? Could we claim her as our own like we had Brenda? Was it possible?

A weight settled at the bottom of my belly as I realized that the odds were definitely not in our favor.

"But it is possible," Brenda insisted, "we just need to keep him from her. He can't claim her if he can't get to her."

"And how do you propose we do that?" asked Ezra, pointedly. "We're going to have a hard enough time controlling her and hunting him down at the same time."

There was a moment of silence between all four of us as we all considered his words, a shared sense of unease and apprehension settling between all of us. I could feel both Brenda and Ezra's eyes on Mason and I as they looked to us for guidance as Alpha and Beta of the pack. Mason was the Alpha and I was the Beta, the second in command. It was up to both of us to lead the pack and make decisions, even though Mason always had the final say. However, I did have a lot more leeway when it came to pack politics than either Brenda or Ezra combined.

I looked over at Mason, both of us sharing a moment of silent clarity as we came to the same conclusion.

"If we can't stop him before the next full moon," began Mason, his eyes never once leaving mine as he lowered his voice, "then we'll use the girl as bait."

"I am so not comfortable with this," said Ezra as he shook his head.

"It's the only way we can get him to come to us," I said. "If we don't stop him, he'll kill more people and he'll grow his pack until we're outnumbered."

"But using her as bait?" asked Ezra, clearly not on board with our plan. "That sounds like a recipe for disaster if you ask me."

"Does it look like we have very many options?" I countered, raising an eyebrow at him as he frowned.

"What do you think?" asked Ezra as he turned to address Brenda. "Do you think this is a good idea?"

Brenda thought about it for a few minutes as she bit her lip nervously, her eyes darting between the three of us like a dog caught between two Masters. "I think it could work. It certainly is our best bet for catching the man-eater, but Ezra's right too. This could go so many ways, not all of them good."

"See?" said Ezra before adding; "Brenda agrees with me."

I narrowed my eyes at his standoffish attitude. I couldn't help but feel as though he was trying to antagonize me on purpose, which he knew how to do really well. He was, after all, my little brother and for some reason, younger siblings always seemed to know how to get under the skin.

But then an uneasy feeling settled in my stomach as I realized that maybe Ezra was right. I thought of Molly, her face flashing across my mind as I realized that my drive to catch her killer was perhaps making me a bit irrational.

"We know that there are risks," said Mason. "But I agree with your sister. We're clearly not dealing with the average Lycaon here. This Alpha is smart, and he knows his only hope for survival is to surround himself with his own pack."

"And we know how rare it is for a Werewolf bite to take," I added. "He will not pass up an opportunity to claim someone who hasn't rejected the bite."

"Right," said Mason before adding; "it's obvious we can't defeat him with strength alone. We need to bait him, use his weakness against him. This is how we do that. And unless we call for backup, we're completely alone here."

"But we're not," shot back Ezra. "You know as well as I do Mason that we are not alone here. There are other Wolves out there and I'd bet my lucky stars that they give a damn what happens on their territory. I know I would if there was a homicidal Werewolf in the area."

I opened my mouth to argue, but then I realized that Ezra was right as a shudder ran down the length of my spin and all the way into my toes because I knew he was right. _We are not alone._

I dared a glance out at where the forest began on the other side of the road, stretching for as long as the eyes could see. It was so vast and so green, and yet so… _foreboding _at the same time.

_We are not alone._

Even now as I stared, I wondered if something _or_ someone was staring back. I swore I could almost see glowing eyes, but as soon as I blinked, they were gone; nothing more than a figment of my overactive imagination.

Or was it?

_We are not alone._

I didn't like this town or the way that it made me feel. I didn't like the fact that my Lycan senses were going nuts, the Wolf inside of me growing more and more unstable. I didn't like the cold, rainy weather that put most of my clothes out of commission and made my bones ache for sunshine. I didn't like _Paul, _who more of an annoyance than anything nor did I like his temperament. I didn't like the fact that Ezra was right about using the girl as bait. It was a shitty thing to do and I knew it. Was I still willing to use her as bait if it meant catching the thing responsible for Molly's death? Absolutely. I also didn't like the fact that there was very clearly something big going on around here that I did not know about.

I did not like Forks Washington. In fact, I didn't like the Pacific Northwest at all. I wanted to finish our business, kill the monster and put this place in my rearview as soon as possible and never come back.

But then my chest tightened at the thought of leaving and a sudden, overwhelming sense of despair filled me. Just the thought of leaving made my heart ache in a way that shouldn't have even been real.

And yet… _It was real_. It was more real than anything I had ever felt before in my entire life and I hated it.

Unfortunately for me, I would come to find out just how exciting hate could be.

**OoO**

**Coming Next:**** Guns, crossbows, Shapeshifters, and Lycanthropes, oh my!**

**AN:**** This is definitely a filler chapter, but there is a lot of important information here for later. This chapter also provides a very small window into Shay, Mason, Ezra, and Brenda's relationship. **

**Also, thank you for all the comments! I don't think I've ever gotten this many on the first seven chapters of a story before and the motivation to write this story is unreal, so thank you! **

**OoO**

**Incorrect Quote of the chapter:**

**Mason: **I have an idea!

**Ezra: **That's a terrible idea

**Brenda: **There are no bad ideas, Ezra. Only good ideas that go horribly wrong


	9. Chapter 9

_"Something deep in the human psyche has always seemed to yearn for ever more enhanced levels of savagery."_

_-Robert Dunbar_

_"Battle not with monsters, lest ye become a monster, and if you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes also into you."_

_-Friedrich Nietzsche_

**OoO**

_Deep in the woods between Forks and La Push, a man stood alone in a quiet forest. He stood among the tall evergreens, as naked as the day he was born; waiting._

_Then, just as the moon began to climb over the mountains, the man let out a shudder. He fell to the ground as his body began to shake, his nails elongating as claws erupted from the nail bed. His face began to change, his face grew into a snout as hair erupted from his skin, course and matted. His spine cracked and groaned as it was forced to accommodate his rapidly growing body._

_And all the while this was happening, the man screamed in agony. Although the longer he screamed, the less human it sounded. It was an unnatural combination of both man and beast, something that could not be forgotten. It was the type of sound that got under the skin, like worms. _

_A rancid smell filled the air as a flock of crows who had been silently watching shot into the sky, eager to escape the danger. _

_And then it stopped. Just as soon as it had begun, the transformation was complete._

_And the woods were silent once again._

**OoO**

After dinner at the Carver Café, Mason had declared that we would start the hunt that night after sunset, and of course, there had been no room for argument as his words were law. And so, we returned to the hotel and began preparations, all of us falling into a robotic routine. No one was really in the mood to talk, which was fine by me as Brenda and I got ready in our room.

I had already showered by then, hoping to curb my natural scent a little bit before dressing in my usual jeans and tank top along with my army green jacket. Brenda had donned her usual dark jeans and black leather jacket, her hair pulled into a tight braid so as to not have her vision obscured before she began the tedious process of dipping her silver-tipped arrows into the Aconite solution.

I watched out of the corner of my eye, impressed by her careful movements as she worked. It was a struggle for Lycanthropes to be near Wolfsbane let alone handle it in such a manner, but if it bothered her, she made no comment.

The door opened as Ezra entered into the room, stopping only slightly to sniff the air as a dark look crossed his features.

"I see you're using wolfsbane," he said, closing the door behind him as he looked over at the solution.

"We're not taking any chances," I said as I threw my shoulder-length hair into a messy bun, not minding the strands that fell into my eyes. "I want the job done, no matter how messy it gets."

"Does that include using sixteen-year-old girls as bait?" deadpanned Ezra.

"Ezra," I warned. "We already talked about this—"

"Would you two shut up?" snapped Brenda, her concentration wavering. "I am handling an extremely deadly toxin to Lycanthropes and you two are distracting me."

"Sorry," I muttered, glancing back at my brother.

"Mason's loading up the truck," Ezra quickly changed the topic, but a gleam in his eyes told me we weren't done having this conversation. "Are you two ready?"

"I am," I said as I holstered my Glock 22, the weight at my side both familiar and comforting. It was the same type of firearm that I had used during my time in the LAPD, which was I favored it over other firearms. I had just finished loading it up with silver bullets, my hands still stinging from the pain as I gathered two more magazines. "Go tell Mason we'll be out in three."

"Sure thing," he said before exiting the room, leaving the two of us alone once again.

"You know," began Brenda, glancing over at me as I threw my army green jacket on, "Ezra really doesn't like this plan that you and Mason have concocted."

I huffed in annoyance, "nobody said he had to like it."

"We're a pack," she replied. "We should all be on the same page when it comes to decisions."

I nodded, "I think so too, but I think it's also important to remember pack dynamics as well. The Alpha makes decisions and the Beta enforces those decisions while the omegas follow. That's how it's always been," I said as she pursed her lips, thoughtfully.

"And when has Ezra ever followed the rules?" she asked as I frowned.

It was true that Ezra had never been one to follow the rules. He was a pioneer who blazed his own trail, no matter what anybody else told him and as much as I tried to protect him and guide him, he always found a way to do his own thing. That was only one of the many ways that we didn't see eye to eye on.

"Touché," I responded, uncertain what else to say at that moment.

"Look," she began, setting her crossbow down as she turned her undivided attention to me, "I know you and Ezra have never really seen eye to eye when it comes to these things—"

I snorted in agreement. My brother and I were about as different as night and day. We were polar opposites— not just in looks but in attitudes as well.

Ezra always had a strong sense of right and wrong— which I admired in him. He lived in a black and white world where the line between right and wrong was easily demarcated. He always wanted to do the right thing, even if it meant sacrificing the outcome. With him, the ends never justified the means.

But if there was one thing that I learned from all my years as a police officer and as a Bounty Hunter, it was that sometimes the ends did justify the means. Sometimes if you wanted the job done right, you had to get your hands dirty.

Not everything was black and white.

"—But you shouldn't be so quick to dismiss him," she continued. "He made a valid point today and we should take that into consideration."

"So, you agree with him," I said as she bit her lip.

"I never said that I did," she replied truthfully. "But I don't disagree with him either.

I swallowed as I glanced at the window where I could see Ezra loading up the back of Mason's truck, his attention focused on the task in front of him as I sighed.

"I'm just worried about him," I said, breaking the silence. "He's never done anything like this before."

I would be lying if I said I wasn't worried about whether he would be able to stomach this sort of thing. Mason and I were used to this— probably way more than we should've been, but we had always been willing to do what needed to be done. Not that we were necessarily proud of it, but my Uncle and I were similar in that respect. We knew how to take action and we weren't afraid to do so, but Ezra was different. He wasn't like us. Even Brenda was more versed in the art of hunting than he was and she had been bitten, not born like the rest of us.

While I had been busting pedophiles and murderers on the streets of LA, he had been at University and while the rest of us had been taking down rabid Werewolves on the West Coast, Ezra had been partying in Europe in his study abroad program. Even as little kids in the system, I had always protected him from bad things. I was used to babying him.

"Of course you're worried," she replied, "I would be too if I were you."

"But?" I asked as she bit her lip, almost nervously.

"A lot has changed in the past few months," she began. "Ever since you left—"

"I've only been gone for a month," I replied, defensively. My most recent job had only taken three weeks max.

"And before that, you were gone for three months," she deadpanned. "Let's face it, Shay. Ever since you decided to be a Bounty Hunter, we haven't seen you as much. You're always on a job in some other state chasing down God knows who."

I swallowed heavily as I realized that she was right. Ever since I had resigned from the LAPD and taken up Bounty Hunting a couple of years ago, I had been home a lot less than when I had been a cop. Sometimes a single job took me away for months at a time, which oftentimes meant that there were long stretches of time where I did not see my pack and vice versa.

"We miss you," she continued, "all of us. Even your old coworkers miss you too. They've been asking whether you plan on coming back or not.

"Brenda," I began, my voice cracking, "you know I can't."

I had resigned from the LAPD for a reason. I couldn't go back. Not yet, at least. I wasn't ready to face the ghosts of my past.

"I know," she said, squeezing my hand comfortingly, "but it's been two years, Shay. What happened to Ryan wasn't your fault—"

_Ryan. God, why did she have to bring him up? _

I stood up abruptly, pulling away from her as I inhaled deeply. Even though it had been two years since my partner's death, it still felt like it was only yesterday that he had bled to death in my arms, a gunshot wound to the chest

That had been two years ago now. Two years since I had turned in my resignation and started Bounty Hunting, unable to deal with the guilt and the shame.

I couldn't go back. Not now.

I just wasn't ready.

Brenda reached out to try and grab my hand, but I pulled away from her.

"Can we not talk about him?" I asked, desperately.

"It's been two years," she countered. "Don't you think it's time that we did?"

I stared at her for a few long, hard seconds as I thought about what she had just said. A part of me knew that she was right— that it was time to stop running away from my past. But at the same time, there was a part of me that wanted nothing more than to just bottle all of my emotions up from that day and lock it away so that I never had to deal with it again.

I had tried so hard to forget all the horrible things that had happened to me over the years and I had done a good job of it too.

After all, running away from my problems is what I did best.

I opened my mouth to respond, but the words escaped me. There was a sharp knock on the door as Mason's voice filtered through the room.

"We're leaving," he called before adding; "you two better get a move on it."

I swallowed, "coming."

I glanced over at Brenda as Mason stalked back to his truck, the both of us resigning ourselves to what the next few hours would bring. If Brenda was scared, she didn't let it show as she leveled her gaze on me.

"You've been gone, Shay," she said after a few moments of silence. "A lot has changed, whether you realize it or not. Ezra isn't the same person that he was two years ago."

With that, she grabbed her supplies and exited the hotel room, leaving me behind to stare at the space that she had just occupied, my mind racing at a hundred miles an hour.

Had I really missed out on so much? Had my brother changed so much in the span of two years without me even noticing it? Had my absence affected my pack as much as Brenda claimed? I had no idea, but a weight in the pit of my stomach told me that her words held truth— as much as I desperately wished it wasn't so.

Confused and agitated, I took one last glance around the room before following after Brenda.

_Here goes nothing._

**OoO**

When I was a young child, I watched a pride of lionesses hunt down a Water Buffalo on the African Serengeti.

I had watched, transfixed, as a group of female lionesses hunted on the African plains. Silently stalking their target until finally, they pounced. Their claws ripped into the flesh of the Buffalo as they sunk their powerful jaws into the poor creature's neck, their teeth covered with the blood of their kill. That night, they had feasted on the carcass, savoring the meat until all that was left was bones.

I guess I should probably clarify that I was not actually witness to this event. I had watched safely from my father's lap in front of the television set during a National Geographic segment about Lions, but still, I could distinctly remember how I felt as I watched the scene unfold.

_I had been in awe._

I had always been fascinated by animals. More specifically, those that belonged to the predator species. The natural-born killers who possessed unparalleled strength and beauty. The ones that blended in seamlessly with their environments and who conquered the ground upon which they walked on with a natural beauty that was wild and wholly untamed. I remember watching documentaries and television shows about Lions, Tigers, Wolves— you name it.

But I wasn't just fascinated with their wildness or beauty. No, I was fascinated with them because they were predators and that appealed to me on a primal level. Something about those natural-born hunters spoke to a feral place inside of me; a place that was more animal than human.

And it was because of this that Werewolves like myself loved the hunt. It was purely instinctual, and it allowed us to shed our human responsibilities and free our Lycan inhibitions, which is probably why I was so good at my job. Being a Bounty Hunter allowed me to channel my animalistic desires into chasing down criminals and low-life's. I was the hunter and they were the prey and my triumph came from returning them to the proper authorities so that they could stand trial for their crimes. I was a key part of the justice system and not only was I good at what I did, but I also enjoyed it too.

But today was different. Today I wasn't hunting down criminals who had missed their court dates and skipped out of town. Instead, I was doing something that I hated. I was hunting one of my own and even though this wasn't my first rodeo involving a man-eater, it was always a struggle for me.

It was night by the time we arrived at the trailhead where Molly's body had been found, the sun having already set hours ago as the moon began its journey over the sky. The moon was almost half-full, which meant that the next full moon wouldn't be for a few more weeks.

The fact that the next full moon wouldn't be for a while should've brought some semblance of comfort, but it did nothing to ease my fears as we exited the truck, the high beams illuminating the dark forest as the wind slapped at our faces, carrying with it a slight drizzle.

I stepped out of the truck, my combat boots sinking into the ground as I breathed in the fresh air. I wondered whether this was a good idea or not— coming out here by ourselves with no back up to hunt down a rabid Werewolf. Normally, I would not have had any reservations, but deep down I knew that this case would prove to be a challenge. I could feel it in my gut. This Werewolf was intelligent.

I wasn't exactly sure what that meant for me and my pack. When a Lycanthrope made the plunge into eating human flesh, the line between the rational and the irrational mind was blurred. Their minds reverted into a more primitive state, the rational thought that had set humans apart from animals for the better part of a few millennia gone in the blink of an eye.

And all it took was one bite. That was all it took for the Curse of Lycaon to take hold. One small taste.

I don't know how long I stood staring at the entrance to the trailhead lost in my own thoughts, but Ezra's familiar presence next to me was enough to bring me out of my reverie as we glanced at each other, the both of us lost in the moment.

"What are you thinking about?" he asked as I bit my lip.

"Nothing," I lied.

Ezra stared at me for a few long seconds before he glanced upwards at the moon.

"Are you scared?" he asked.

It was an innocent enough question, and yet I didn't know how to respond.

Was I scared? Sure. Just because I was used to doing this sort of thing didn't mean that it still didn't scare the shit out of me. Hell, I would be lying if I said it didn't scare me. It absolutely terrified me, but not for the reasons that Ezra thought. My fears were different and far less material than that. I was scared because every time I did this— every time I hunted down a rabid man-eating Werewolf, I was forced to stare into a dark mirror.

Because when I stared into the face of a monster, I was staring at a reflection of myself. A dark one albeit, but a reflection, nonetheless. A mirror image with two different faces, one that of a normal human being and the other of a hideous monster.

Any Lycanthrope could become like Lycaon. All it took was one bite; one small little taste.

"When have I ever been scared?" I asked jokingly, the corners of my lips tugging upwards as I punched him teasingly in the shoulder. I tried to sound confident, but the smile never quite reached my eyes as I tried to mentally reassure myself.

"Yeah," he swallowed. "I suppose you're right."

"Are you scared?" I countered, watching as his shoulders sank, as if a sudden weight had been placed there. I couldn't help but feel as though I had placed it there.

"I don't know," he replied, truthfully. "Like you told Brenda, I've never done anything like this before."

I cringed at the words, guilt flooding me like a tsunami. "You weren't supposed to hear that," I said, softly.

He scratched the back of his neck, "kinda hard not too when you have super hearing, sis."

"Ezra, I—"

I wanted to apologize or maybe even explain myself, but he cut me off before the words could escape me, his green eyes settling on me as he gave me a stern look.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me," he responded, shoving his hands into his pockets. "I know I don't have the experience that you do in these situations and I'm not going to pretend like I do. But that doesn't mean I'm not entitled to my own opinions."

"I never said you weren't," I replied, a soft sigh escaping my lips. "I'm sorry that I've been gone as much as I have. Brenda's right. I'm not around as much as I used to be and that's not fair to you."

"Shay," he deadpanned. "I'm twenty-two. I think I can handle myself now just fine without you."

I snorted in agreement, "I know, it's just— you'll always be my little brother," I said as I ruffled his hair. "Just 'cause you're an adult now doesn't mean I don't care about you anymore."

Ever since our parents had died, I had been taking care of him. Even when we were in the foster care system and getting bounced around from home to home, I had always protected him and looked after him. I practically raised him after our parents had died. Not only that, but I had protected him from the abuse that we had been subjected to in the system. And even now as adults, I was still very protective of him.

I couldn't help it. Old habits die hard after all.

He swatted my hand away from his perfectly styled locks as he muttered something under his breath that rhymed with duck you, which elicited a grin from me as he did his best to fix the misplaced strands of hair.

"You're the literal worst," he groaned. "Why do you always have to ruin my hair?"

"Maybe if you didn't spend two hours styling it in the morning, I wouldn't be so inclined too," I smirked.

He rolled his eyes as he opened his mouth to respond, but a lone howl echoing throughout the woods stopped him dead in his tracks as all four of us snapped our heads in the direction from which it originated. It sounded close— really close. Too close for comfort as I peered into the dark expanse of trees.

"That was close," muttered Brenda as she stepped forward, her grip on her crossbow tightening instinctively as her eyes traversed the landscape like a hawk.

"What do you think?" asked Ezra, glancing surreptitiously in my direction. "Werewolf or Wolves?"

Another howl echoed through the woods before a few more accompanied it, the sounds drawing closer and closer by the second as the wind carried the familiar scent with it. The scent of the Wolves that I had encountered on the road into town lingering at the forefront of my mind.

"I don't know," I said as I chanced a glance over at Mason, noting the way that his entire body went rigid. His gaze hardened as he clenched his jaw, his foot beginning to shift restlessly as he stared at the tree line, never once taking his eyes off the expanse of trees.

I half expected for a pack of Wolves to come bounding out of the woods, but the trees remained still. If there were Wolves out there watching us, they made no move to attack us or approach us.

And then, just as soon as it had started, it stopped as an eerie silence settled over the land.

However, I knew that we were not alone.

_We were in the company of Wolves._

**OoO**

**Coming Next:**** Reluctant Allies, a heated discussion, and another look into Shay's past.**

**AN: As I'm sure you are all aware, we are in the middle of a global pandemic. I hope you all are staying safe and healthy. Social distancing is so important right now to not just ourselves but others as well. On the bright side of all of this, now I have plenty of time to start writing the next chapter!**

**Also**

**Thank you for all the comments! **


	10. Chapter 10

_"Enemies may unite to eliminate a common threat, but never without a wary eye fixed on their ally."_

_-Richelle E. Goodrich_

_"An animal's eyes have the power to speak a great language."_

_-Martin Buber_

**OoO**

**_1990_**

_Curled up on the sofa in the living room, five-year-old Shay Collins stared down at the little bundle nestled in her arms, marveling at the tiny face that stared back at her. Ezra Michael Collins had been born three days prior at 7:40 am after a grueling eight-hour labor. He weighed six pounds exactly and had milky blue eyes and a tuft of curly blond hair that was the exact same shade as her mother's. He had ten toes and ten fingers, and he was small enough to fit into the crook of her arm. _

_He was perfect. Completely and utterly perfect— and Shay just couldn't get enough of her new baby brother._

_"He's so small," she said, her voice full of awe. Even though Ezra was already a few days old at that point, she couldn't get over just how tiny he was compared to her. It was like holding a baby doll._

_"Yeah, he is," he agreed, his demeanor shifting as he caught her gaze. "You know," he began, softly, "you were once as small as this. I remember how you used to fit so perfectly in my arms."_

_"Really?" she asked, unable to imagine herself that small. She still fit in her father's arms perfectly, but she was getting bigger. Every year her mother marked the doorframe outside of her room— a testament to just how tall she was getting. According to her grandpa, she was growing like a weed. _

_He nodded, "oh yeah. You were so small and so delicate. Mama used to call you her little China Doll," he said as he playfully bopped her on the nose. _

_"I'm not a China doll," Shay insisted, her little nose scrunching up in distaste at the word. China dolls were fragile and easily breakable, and Shay was neither of those things. "Grandpa says I'm a Wolf," she iterated the words that her grandfather had spoken to her on many occasions, "a great, big Wolf. Like the ones you showed me in the woods."_

_"Are you now?" asked her father, amusedly._

_She nodded enthusiastically. "Yep!"_

_Her father shook his head, a glint in his dark brown eyes. "But those were Wolves, Shay. They're different from us."_

_"But—" she frowned, shaking her head in confusion, "I thought you said that they were like us. That we were all Wolves."_

_"In a way, yes," her father agreed. He continued, "but you see we're also different."_

_"Oh," said Shay as she looked back down at Ezra, not quite grasping her father's meaning. "How are we the same, but different?"_

_"Well," her father began, scooting closer to her as he wrapped his arms around her, gently so as to not disturb the baby, "first off, we're not Wolves— at least not like the ones in the woods. We're Lycanthropes. We're different because unlike them, we have a human nature."_

_"What does that mean?" asked an inquisitive Shay. She was determined to get her answers and once she set her mind to something, there was no going back. Her father understood this as he gently pushed a stray strand of hair behind her ear, his other arm wrapped around her shoulder as he drew her close._

_"Well, sweetheart. It means that unlike real Wolves, at our very core we still possess a human soul because once upon a time, we were human," he clarified before adding; "that's what separates us from them."_

_"But we're not human," said Shay with furrowed eyebrows. Humans couldn't shapeshift like they could. "Right?"_

_"Well, yes and no," her father leaned forward as he mentally racked his brain for the best way to explain the complexity of their kind to a five-year-old in terms that she could understand. "There are things about us that are more human, and other things that are more Wolf."_

_"So, we're both then?"_

_"Exactly," her father agreed, bobbing his head in confirmation. "But you know, just because we're more human than the Wolf doesn't mean we're better than them. Animals are so much purer than humans. They see things as they are, and they do what they do to survive. They are not guided by malice or hatred. Only instinct."_

_"Is that why Lycaon turned into a monster?" asked Shay. "Because he was too human?"_

_Her father paused, "how you do know about Lycaon?" he asked, imploring._

_Shay shrugged, "grandpa told me about him. He said that I needed to know our history."_

_Her grandfather had always been a storyteller, sharing with her stories that had been passed down through the generations. Some of them had been funny, but others were scary; like the Curse of Lycaon. _

_"Your grandfather should not have told you that story," he frowned, clearly unhappy that his father had been sharing stories with his daughter behind his back. While it was true that it was a part of their history, it was something that he had wished to explain to his daughter himself when the time was right. It was not an easy story to hear, and an even harder one to forget._

_"Oh," said Shay before adding; "are you mad?"_

_"No," he sighed, running a tired hand over his face, "I'm not. I just didn't want to hear about it till you were bigger."_

_"But I am bigger," said Shay pointedly, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. "You said it yourself. I'm a lot bigger than I was when I was a baby."_

_"But you're still little," said her father, tapping her on the nose. "Too little for stories like that."_

_"No, I'm not," she argued, her lips curling into an adorable pout. "I'm a big girl. Even mommy thinks so."_

_"That may be so," said her father as he wrapped her up in her arms, the both of them watching Ezra as he closed his eyes and began to drift off to sleep. In his arms, Shay felt loved and warm. She felt safe. "But you'll always be my little girl."_

**OoO**

**2012**

Looking back on this moment, I knew I shouldn't have been surprised. We were, after all, in another pack's territory. It was a given that we would've eventually crossed paths with the mysterious Wolf pack that owned this land, one way or another.

They emerged from the trees one at a time, silent and cautious; they watched us with eyes that were far too intelligent to be anything other than human. They slinked out of the shadows with purpose; their footsteps gentle as the wind caressed their fur.

They were beautiful. Breathtaking, even. But I knew better than to grow complacent in their presence, for even a Wolf that bared no teeth still posed a very real danger. We understood this because we too were Wolves, we just wore a different skin.

Mason was the first to react, a snarl escaping his mouth as he stepped forward. As Alpha, it was his job to defend his pack and that was exactly what he was doing as he crouched down low, his entire body going rigid as I did the same, my eyes flashing yellow as a guttural growl escaped my lips.

The Wolves seemed to hesitate as soon as they saw this, but they didn't stop their approach as they slowly began to encircle us— which wasn't hard to do with how many Wolves there were. Their pack was obviously much larger than our own, their numbers reminiscent of a small army rather than an actual Wolf pack.

Not even Lycan packs were usually this large.

The Wolves all came to a sudden stop— as if some invisible force had commanded them to do so. A few tense moments passed as we kept our eyes trained on each other, sizing each other up. Beside me, Brenda held fast to her crossbow, her glowing eyes traveling from one Wolf to another as she held her breath; waiting.

A man emerged from the trees wearing only a pair of denim cutoffs. He walked past the line of Wolves, moving closer until he stood a few feet away from us, his form towering over the four of us— which only served to intimidate us even more as my eyes lingered over his muscled body. I watched his dark eyes fall on Mason as the two of them stared at each other; no doubt sizing each other up as respective Alphas.

After a few heavy moments of intense staring and silence, he turned to face the rest of his, his eyes taking in the rest of us with something akin to curiosity and wariness. His gaze lingered on Brenda and I, as if he were trying to figure us out in the span of only a few seconds, which was how long it had been since he had emerged from the trees. Although it might as well have been an eternity in my book.

A second man emerged from the woods, his movements catching my eye as I habitually reached for my Glock, my hand grazing over the weapon in my holster before I froze, my eyes widening upon realizing who it was.

_Paul. _

Bile formed in my throat as I shifted my weight, my hand still hovering over my gun as we stared at each other. His expression was stone cold, but his eyes betrayed him as he stared at me, longingly. He didn't seem as angry or as unhinged as I was used to seeing him, and if he was, he hid it well as he gave me a resigned look.

"This land—" began the Alpha, his voice as loud and as commanding as I thought it would be, "belongs to the Quileute. You are trespassing."

The words were simple enough, but the message was clear.

_Who are you people and what are you doing here?_

"We didn't realize this territory was spoken for when we came here," said Mason, choosing his words carefully. "We mean you no harm."

The Alpha regarded us for a few seconds as if trying to tell if Mason was lying or not. He and Paul shared a look— one that I was exceedingly familiar with as they seemed to know exactly what the other one was thinking. It was a level of communication that Mason and I shared, as Alpha and Beta.

"We want to believe you," he said at last, "but we've never encountered your kind before, so forgive us for being wary."

Mason nodded in understanding, "that's understandable. You're probably very confused as to what's been going on around here. Perhaps we can be of assistance to each other."

The Alpha tilted his head, clearly intrigued. "How so?"

"You're probably wondering what's going on around here," said Mason, not mincing his words. "We know what happened in the woods the other night. That's why my pack and I are here," he crossed his arms over his chest. "And I'm guessing my lucky stars that's why you're here as well."

The Alphas mouth twitched as he considered Mason's words. After a few moments of silence, he nodded in confirmation. "We encountered one of your kind in the woods. He attacked two humans and nearly killed one of my betas."

"And you want to know how to kill it," commented Mason as Paul narrowed his eyes.

"Clearly you know more than we do," said Paul, speaking up for the first time since their unsolicited appearance. He crossed his arms over his chest as he regarded us. "Until a few days ago, we were under the impression that your kind was extinct."

"Who told you that?" I asked. "Werewolf 101? _Oh, wait…" _I snapped my fingers sarcastically. "It must've been Understanding Werewolfs for dummies."

He ignored my remark as he shifted under the weight of my glare, "a friend."

"And what else did this— _friend,_" I crossed my arms over my chest expectantly, "tell you about our kind?"

He gave me a smug smirk— one that burrowed under my skin and stayed there. "Only the hairy bits."

I rolled my eyes at his childish antics and immaturity while Mason beside gave me a bemused look, clearly enjoying this way more than I was as he stepped forward. I couldn't help but notice the strategic way that he placed himself between Paul and I, almost as if he expected me to jump the other man— which I had to admit was starting to sound pretty tempting.

"Well if that's the case," my cheeks were flushed with controlled anger. "Then you're well ahead of us in that regard. We've never encountered your kind before. We weren't even aware that there were other types of shapeshifters out there save for our own."

And that was true. For as long as I had been alive I had never heard a peep about there being any other shapeshifters out there save for us. Not from other Werewolves, not from the bloodsuckers, the occultists, or even humans for that matter. This was_— new. _And also exhilarating for some reason.

"Then I'm sorry to burst your bubble, sweetheart," he replied, giving me a lazy grin that made my blood boil.

If there was one thing I hated more in this world, it was being called _sweetheart. _For years I had been forced to grit my teeth and bare nicknames such as sweetheart and honey from misogynistic assholes that only wanted to demean me. Demean me and my career— to remind me that I was still just a woman underneath the uniform.

And it infuriated me.

But even then, I did not rise to meet the challenged as I glowered at him, my arms crossing over my chest as I gave him an unimpressed look— causing him to shift under the weight of my gaze.

_Good, _I thought, pleased with my ability to make anyone uncomfortable with nothing more than my eyes, _keep squirming._

I could feel Mason's eyes on me, silently urging me to let up as I tore my gaze away from Paul and back to the situation at hand. I gave my Uncle an apologetic look as he rolled his eyes, his attention going back to the other back as he addressed the Alpha.

"We would be willing to share information with you," he began before adding; "if you would be willing to do the same for us. I for one am very curious as to who you people are and how you came to be— if you don't mind, that is."

The Alpha shook his head, "we wouldn't mind sharing information with you and your pack," his eyes drifted over Brenda and Ezra before falling on me. I could tell that he was mentally sizing up— looking for strengths and weaknesses in both us and our defenses. It was obvious that he didn't trust us, no matter how much of a smooth talker Mason was.

Not that I blamed him. It was only natural.

"But you haven't given us any reason to trust you," he finished, his gaze returning to Mason. "You and your pack show up out of the blue just as soon as these killings start and you just expect us to take your word at face value?"

"Why not?" I shrugged. "If we truly meant you and your pack any harm, don't you think we would've come in larger numbers?" I motioned towards his impressively sized pack. "I mean, look at us compared to you. It's clear whose outnumbered."

The Alpha narrowed his eyes, "and how do we know there aren't more of your kind?"

"You don't," said Brenda, speaking up for the first time, "but we have no reason to lie to you. What you see here is what you get."

Truer words had never been spoken. Brenda was right. We had no reason to lie about our numbers. It was just the four of us and they were just going to have to accept that.

They studied us carefully, eyebrows raised and arms crossed. We all just stared at each other, none of us breaking the silence as the wind rustled through the trees— the distant sound of thunder all that could be heard throughout the clearing.

"We have a common enemy," said Mason, breaking the silence. "We came here for one reason. Either you can help us, or you can leave us to do what needs to be done. It's your choice."

"_Sam,_" said Paul, his voice low as he turned towards his Alpha. He gave the other man a look— one that not even I could read as I narrowed my eyes. I had always been good at reading people, but the look in Paul's eyes…

Sam nodded in understanding, his eyes flitting back towards us as he gave Mason a resigned look.

"I have to admit," he began, slowly, "your presence here makes us uneasy. We are and have always been the protectors of this land— of our Tribe. And we are proud of that."

I found myself nodding in understanding as he continued.

"But we are out of our element here and as much as I hate to say it, we need help," he swallowed his pride, "your help."

Brenda exhaled beside me, her grip on her bow and arrow lightening as Ezra too relaxed, his shoulders loosening as he allowed himself to go slack— the both of them glad to hear the admission. Mason and I on the other hand remained guarded, but less so now that we knew we could reach a civil understanding.

However, I remained skeptical. It was obvious that they still distrusted us— which I admit was a natural response considering the circumstances. But I also knew at the same time they weren't lying when they said they needed help.

And who were we to turn them down?

"What would you have us do?" I asked, exhaling.

"For starters? Some information would be nice," said Paul, our eyes meeting once again. Somehow, no matter how many times we tried not to stare at each other, our eyes always found one another. Like two magnets that were tied to each other.

I looked away, not that it did me any good. His eyes were still on me, watching me. Studying me.

"I agree," said Mason. "I'm sure you have a lot of questions. I know we do."

"There's a house not far from here," said Sam as he glanced up at the sky. The moon's light was slowly beginning to disappear as a thick cloud of fog rolled in, bringing with it the promise of more rain as thunder boomed in the distance. "We can talk there."

The invitation was sincere and I could tell that they were not planning a trap, but I still turned to look at Mason for confirmation that this was a good idea. At the end of the day, it was still his decision as Alpha. Whatever choice he made, I would follow along no matter what.

He considered Sam's words for a few moments before he nodded.

"All right," he replied. "We'll come with you."

And all I could do from that point on was pray that I was right about our new furry friends.

**OoO**

**Coming Next:**** Pack politics, Storytime, more flashbacks, and more Shay and Paul**

**AN: So I feel like an apology is in order. I meant to update sooner and I meant for this chapter to be longer, however, life got in the way and also a major writing block. I'm hoping to get the next chapter out soon and hopefully, it will have more content in it then this chapter did, but I figured that it would be better to publish what I did have so you guys wouldn't have to wait even longer for me to write another scene.**

**On another note, thank you all for the encouraging comments! I seriously love you all and you have no idea how much I have been inspired by everyone leaving comments and kind words. I hope you all are doing well and staying safe with everything going on in the world.**

**XOXO**


	11. Chapter 11

_"No matter how far we come, our parents are always in us."_

_-Brad Meltzer_

_"Call it a clan, call it a network, call it a tribe, call it a family: Whatever you call it, whoever you are, you need one."_

_-Jane Howard_

**OoO**

**_2007_**

_Buttoning up the last of her dress uniform in front of the mirror in the apartment complex that she shared with the rest of her pack in one of the many suburbs of Los Angeles, Shay Collins stared at her reflection. She couldn't help the way her chest clenched at the achingly familiar sight of the badge that rested over her chest._

_It wasn't the same badge that her father had worn. But it was close enough as her fingers lightly grazed over it, the feel of it enough to bring back long-forgotten memories as she closed her eyes. It had been fourteen years since his death— since their parent's death and it was starting to feel like a lifetime ago; the passage of time having already affected her more than she would've liked to admit._

_"You look good," came a voice from behind her, bringing her out of her reverie. She turned around to find Mason leaning against the doorframe dressed in a suit— which was undoubtedly a rental seeing as 99% of her Uncle's wardrobe consisted of flannel shirts and grease-stained shirts. His black hair had been styled and his bread had been shaved, leaving his face an unfamiliar sight. "The uniform suits you."_

_A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, "thanks," she turned back around so that she could finish straightening out the rest of her uniform. Today was special and she wanted to look her best. "You don't look too bad yourself either."_

_"Yeah well," her Uncle tugged at his tie uncomfortably, "enjoy it while it lasts cause as soon as this graduation is over this thing is coming off."_

_Shay laughed, "I never thought I'd live to see the day that you wore a suit."_

_"You can thank Ezra for dragging me to the mall," he said before adding; "I gotta hand it to the kid. He sure is persistent."_

_"He's a Collins," said Shay. "It's in his blood."_

_There was a moment of silence as she could feel Mason's eyes on her. Shay knew what he was thinking— what was going through his mind. She wasn't sure if she wanted to talk about it. Today may have been special, but that didn't make it any easier._

_"You know," her Uncle began, eyes raking over her appearance with a somber look, "you look a lot like your dad in that uniform."_

_There it was. The destined comment about her father. Shay knew that this would happen, but it still caught her off guard as she looked away, unable to meet his gaze through the mirror._

_Shay nodded. There wasn't much else that she could do at the moment. Her Uncle squared his shoulders before stepping closer to her, his hands shoved into his pockets as he continued. "Seeing you in that uniform…" he paused, uncertainty lingering in his voice as he swallowed. "It's uh— it's surreal."_

_Her Uncle was like her in the respect that words never came naturally to him. It was a family trait that they both happened to share and because of that, they never really had any difficulty understanding each other. Shay knew what he meant._

_"I know," she agreed. "I keep waiting to wake up and find that the last six months was nothing more than a dream," she turned back around to face him. "But it's not. This is real."_

_"I gotta be honest with you," her Uncle began. "I never thought in a million years you'd become a cop."_

_"Yeah, well…" she shrugged. "I guess I'm just full of surprises."_

_Her decision to quit bartending to go to the Academy had been sudden— leaving everybody stunned. One minute she had been eking out a living refilling the drinks of alcoholics and listening to their sob stories and the next she was on her way to becoming a cop. _

_It was strange how quickly her life had changed. _

_"There is no doubt about that," Mason agreed. "But I think you know what I mean."_

_And Shay did know what he was referring to. She didn't exactly have the cleanest past— not that it was her fault, but losing her parents and spending four years in the foster care system and living in a constant state of fear that her she and Ezra would be separated by the state— and the fact that not all of their foster parents were what Shay would call good people had left its mark on her. For those four years, Shay had been forced to fight for not only herself but for Ezra as well. She had practically raised him and so she had been fiercely protective of him. Even after Mason had shown up out of the blue to take them under his wing, Shay had never really stopped fighting. Her High school career had been marred by truancy and fights and at one point she had even been a runaway. The fact that she was now a police officer was surprising… So, Shay really couldn't be offended at his remark._

_"That was a long time ago," said Shay, quietly. "I'm not like that anymore."_

_Full of anger and hatred for the world. She was still like that in some ways, but Shay had come to the realization on her own that the world wasn't as dark as she had originally thought. There were good people out there— people that deserved to be protected in a way that she hadn't been. _

_That was the real reason behind her choosing to wear the uniform. Not her father._

_"No, you're not," there was something in his voice that Shay couldn't identify. It made her feel strange and yet— fulfilled at the same time. "You're right. You're not like that anymore. You're different now."_

_"I'd like to think I haven't changed that much," she said, but she knew that was just wishful thinking on her part. A lot had changed since she and Ezra had come to LA. Neither of them were the same people they were when Mason had first taken them in. "But I know what you mean."_

_"I'm real proud of you, kid," he said. "I hope you know that. Ezra too. You've both come a long way."_

_"And we have you to thank for that," said Shay. Her Uncle had only been twenty-one when he had taken them in. Shay had been thirteen and Ezra had only been eight when he showed up out of the blue ready to take his older half-brother's orphaned kids in. At the time he had seemed so old and mature that Shay never questioned his ability to take care of them. But now that Shay was older, she could see how truly young he had been. And because of that, she held a lot of respect for the man. _

_"You're family," he said before adding; "and family doesn't get left behind. You know that."_

_"Yeah," she said, her voice barely above that of a whisper. "I know."_

_He continued, "if he could see you right now, he'd be so proud of you."_

_"But he's not here," said Shay as she did her best to keep her voice leveled. Still, there was a shakiness to it that not even she could stop. She missed him so much that it physically hurt her to think about him— about both of her parents. But while Shay missed them both equally, today reminded her all too much of her father. "He should be, but he's not."_

_And it wasn't fucking fair. None of it was. He was supposed to be here. He was supposed to see her follow in his footsteps and start a career. But he wasn't._

_He was gone and all that Shay had left were memories. _

_"Hey," came Ezra's voice from the doorway as he popped his head in, bringing Shay out of her painful reverie as he addressed the two of them. "Are you almost ready to go?" he pointed at his watch before adding; "it's almost four and we should probably head out before traffic gets bad."_

_"Yeah," said Shay, averting her gaze from her Uncle to that of her impatient brother as he inhaled deeply. "I'm ready. Do you have the stuff?"_

_He held up the camera case for emphasis. "All ready to go whenever you are."_

_"Great," she said as she gave him a forced smile. "Go load up the car and we'll be out in a sec."_

_He nodded before disappearing down the hallway, leaving the two of them alone once again. Shay grabbed her cap off the counter along with her keys and purse. "Ezra's right. We should head out before the rush hour traffic."_

_She went to leave, but her Uncle gently reached out and grabbed her arm; holding her in place so that he could say this one last thing to her. "Your father may not be here, but I meant what I said when I said he'd be proud of you, kiddo."_

_With that, he let go of her and made his way out of the room, leaving Shay by herself as she stared at the spot that he had occupied. Sighing, she squared her shoulders and placed the cap over her head before taking a moment to stare at her reflection in the mirror._

_And all that she could see was her father staring back at her. _

**OoO**

**2012**

We followed them through the woods for a few minutes before we came upon a small red house situated in the woods where I could see a man in a wheelchair waiting for us out on the porch. Beside him was Chief Swan's wife. Both of them were staring at us and while it wasn't exactly what I would describe as impolite, I wouldn't have described it as welcoming either.

It was clear from their gazes alone that they didn't trust us. We were outsiders— people who were not supposed to be here.

"Billy," said Sam with a nod as we came to a halt in front of the house, the two of them taking the lead as the rest of us hung back; awkwardly. By then, the rest of the Wolves had slinked back into the woods with only one or two hanging back.

"Sam," Billy nodded, acknowledging the younger man. He gave him a tight, thin smile but his eyes remained cold as he stared at us in such a way that I couldn't help but shift under the weight of it, my eyes flitting towards the rest of my pack. I could tell that whoever this Billy was, he was a person of authority here. Even in a wheelchair, he held himself in a way that told me that he was a respected person in this community.

"I hope you don't mind, but we brought guests," Sam said, nodding towards us. His tone was polite, but there was a clipped edge to his voice. "We ran into them in the woods and they agreed to talk with us. This is Billy Black and Sue Swan. They're both Elders of the Tribe."

"Pleasure to meet you," said Mason before gesturing to the rest of us. "This is Shay. She's my second in command."

"In other words," I came to stand next to him, asserting my dominance as well as my position at his side for all to see, "I'm his beta as well as his niece," I motioned towards Brenda and Ezra, who had been silently hanging back awkwardly this entire time. "And that's my brother Ezra and our packmate, Brenda."

Ezra gave them an awkward wave as Brenda shifted her weight uneasily, her eyes dancing across the two humans before responding. "Hello."

"You're here because of the killings, right?" asked Mrs. Swan.

Mason and I shared a knowing glance before he stepped forward, addressing the two humans of the group with a pleasant yet distant statement. "If you're referring to the string of animal attacks that have been plaguing the Olympic Peninsula these past few weeks, then you would be correct."

"What can you tell us?" asked Billy.

"Well that depends," said Mason. "What would you like to know?"

"Everything," said Sam. "Tell us everything."

**OoO**

The inside of the house was just as cozy-looking as the outside— warm and inviting, the smell of herbs lingering in the air as well as the distinct smell of pine and cranberry— and I would know because cranberry had been my mother's favorite scent. She had always burned cranberry frost candles in our home and to this day the smell always seemed to bring back a plethora of memories for me. Which is probably why I felt right at home the moment I walked through the door.

But that warm feeling soon faded as the seriousness of the situation came back full force— leaving both myself and my pack with a feeling of uneasiness as we stood in the unfamiliar house surrounded by unfamiliar people. It was a struggle to allow myself to relax as my instincts told me to run as fast and as far as I could out there, even though I knew that there was no threat— at least not to the degree that would warrant any sort of attention at this point. Logically, I knew that nothing was going to happen to me, but I remained uneasy.

"I apologize for the mess," said Billy as he leaned down to pick a few things off the floor before tossing them on the table, "I wasn't expecting company."

"You don't need to apologize," I said before adding; "you have a lovely home."

He gave me a warm smile— the first genuine smile that I had seen this night. "Thank you. I try to keep the place as tidy as I can, but sometimes it's difficult when you're stuck in one of these," he said as he patted the side of his wheelchair for emphasis.

An awkward silence filled the room as I stared at the photographs that lined the far wall, my weight shifting nondescriptly from one foot to the next. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see Paul leaning against the kitchen counter as he watched us with keen interest while Sam lingered near the doorway, his position giving him a full view of the living room and all of its occupants.

Which in effect made us sitting ducks. Fan-fucking-tastic.

Billy offered us a seat on the sofa that lined the far wall near the window, but none of us made any motion to sit down— which admittedly did nothing to ease the already stifling atmosphere.

"Before we start," began Mason, allowing himself to speak swiftly so as to quell the awkwardness that lingered between our two packs, "I think it's important to dispel any myths that you might have come to believe about us and our kind."

"Like what?" asked Paul.

"Well, for starters," I interjected as I met Paul's gaze, "we're not the monsters you've probably seen in the movies or read about in popular fiction. Contrary to what you probably think about us, we do not eat humans," I said before quickly adding; "at least, most of us don't."

"Most?" asked Sam, uneasiness in his voice.

"There are always a few bad apples here and there," I explained, seeing the puzzled looks on all of their faces, "which is why, as Mason so kindly explained earlier, we came here in the first place."

"The attacks have already gained the attention of the local media," said Brenda, speaking up for the first time since arriving at the house. She had been unceremoniously quiet the entire time, taking everything and everyone in with a calm yet somber demeanor. "It won't be long before the headlines break the national news unless we put an end to it, and fast."

"And if it does break the national news?" asked Paul. "What happens then?"

Then it wouldn't be long before the Volturi heard about it and sent an army of bloodsuckers to hunt my people down, just like they did in the not so distant past. We had done a good job of remaining hidden for so long, integrating into society and passing ourselves off as humans to both friends and even relatives— not that it was a difficult thing to do. Lycanthropes had always been closer to humans than vampires. After all, there was a part of us that was still humans. We weren't like Vampires. Our hearts still beat, and blood still ran through our veins.

But even then, if the Volturi came for us again… I don't think we could survive again.

"Then we're fucked," I replied, not mincing my words. "And I'd venture to say that you and your pack would be as well. The Vampire Kings don't take kindly to shapeshifters of any kind— yours most definitely included."

And that apparently struck a chord with everyone in the room. It was obvious from the flighty and disturbed looks from the others that they knew who I was talking about— and just like us, they were not fans either.

"You're talking about the Italian Vampires," said Billy, grimly.

I nodded, "the Volturi, yes."

"Have you encountered them before?" asked Mason curiously. It was a question that we all would've liked an answer too.

"Yes," Sam said, eyes darkening, "we've encountered them before."

"Yeah," said Paul sarcastically. "Nice folk. Loved the outfits."

My eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You've encountered the Volturi before?" I asked, not quite believing my ears— although there was no way that I heard that incorrectly. But if that was the case, then how—?

"How are you still alive then?" asked Ezra, taking the words right out of my mouth. The Volturi were ruthless— coldhearted and genocidal. They had slaughtered countless innocent Lycan's over the past millennia. To think that this pack of shapeshifters from nowhere-Ville USA had managed to survive an encounter with the Volturi was more than crazy. It was ludicrous.

"We can protect ourselves from a few bloodsuckers just fine," growled Paul, defensively. I could tell that he was offended on his pack's behalf at our inquiry. He continued, "after all, that's what we were made to do. We live to kill their kind. The Volturi don't scare us," he spat.

"What Paul means to say," began Billy, his tone much more polite and soothing, "is that it is the duty of the pack to protect the Tribe, as it has been for a thousand years. The Cold Ones have tried in the past to destroy us, but we are still standing."

"Of that, we have no doubt," said Mason, his tone placating. "We're just surprised. It's not like the Volturi to leave survivors."

"Yeah, well," began Paul, his tone bland, "we're still here. Clearly, the Volturi isn't all that it's cracked up to be."

And that made me pause, my thoughts racing with this new information. It was a bold statement— cocky, even. But if that was true, then that meant…

Mason interrupted my reverie, "I for one would love to hear more about this encounter if you don't mind. We have never encountered the Volturi before nor do we interact with Vampires," he said before adding; "we try our best to stay off their radar as much as possible what with our history and all."

"I'm sure Sam and Paul wouldn't mind filling you in on the story some other time," said Sue pointedly from her seat on the couch, "but for right now, I believe there are more pressing matters to discuss."

Oh, right. The Werewolf. I had been so occupied by the thought of the Volturi that I had almost forgotten. Silly me.

"Right," said Mason, shoulders sagging as he too remembered. "What else would you like to know?"

There was simply too much information to just outright share with them, and there was also the fact that we didn't entirely trust them. I, for one, didn't feel the need to tell them every little thing about us and our kind. If they wanted to know, they could ask.

"That creature—" began Sam, taking a seat on one of the wooden kitchen chairs, "the one that attacked my pack in the woods… Is that a representation of your entire species?"

"No," both Mason and I responded quickly at the same time, our gazes meeting briefly before I allowed Mason to continue. "The creature that attacked your pack is not your typical Lycanthrope nor does it represent any of us here," he shook his head before continuing. "The creature that you saw in the woods is what we in the Lycan community refer to as a Lycaon— a maneater."

"Once upon a time it was like us," I added, choosing my next words extremely carefully lest they get the wrong impression of us. "But then it got a taste for human flesh and it turned into _something _else. Something not human or Lycan for that matter. Something different."

"So, what you're saying is it's a rabid Werewolf," said Paul as I frowned.

"Cursed, actually," I said before adding; "but yes, you are correct. It is rabid."

"And do you all—?" asked Sam, motioning nondescriptly in the air as he tried his best to convey his pointed without actually saying it out loud. He scratched his head awkwardly, "do you all look like that when you shift?"

"You mean when we turn?" asked Ezra as Sam nodded.

I shook my head, "lucky for us, no. None of us look like that."

It might've been just my imagination, but Paul looked relieved to hear that, as if a great weight had been pulled off his shoulders. Still, he remained guarded as he spoke again, this time to me. "What do you look like, then?"

I narrowed my eyes, "why do you want to know?"

He seemed caught off guard by the question, but he quickly composed himself as he shook his head, although I could see the annoyance in his eyes. "Why do you always act like I have some ulterior motive? Maybe I'm just curious about you and your kind. After all, it's not every day you meet a real Werewolf," he pointed out, his tone as polite as possible despite the irritation in his voice.

"Well forgive me for being cautious," I rolled my eyes, "and for your information, I don't trust just anyone."

He let out a shaky breath, nostrils flaring as he held his anger back. Through clenched teeth, he muttered, "clearly."

With that, he turned and walked back towards the kitchen counter and away from me. I hadn't even noticed until then how close he had been standing next to me, his presence warm and inviting. It wasn't until after he had left that I realized just how much I enjoyed his proximity. And now that he was gone, I felt cold and empty.

It was unnerving. But I did what I did best, and I shrugged it off as I quickly tore my gaze from him so that he couldn't see the disappointment in my eyes, my hands gripping the edges of the couch. Truly, I hadn't meant to be rude or standoffish. It just sorta— came out that way. Like it always did.

Why did I always feel the need to run my mouth unnecessarily?

Sam quickly changed the subject, drawing my focus towards him instead of Paul. "So how do we kill it?"

Finally, the question I had been waiting for. Now we were getting somewhere.

"Silver is our best bet," I said as I reached around my neck and pulled my silver bullet necklace off. I held it up by the string so that everyone could see, "Werewolves are extremely vulnerable to it. If we touch it," I demonstrated by lightly holding it to the palm of my hand, ignoring the sizzling pain, "it burns us."

With that, I removed it from my skin before holding it up so that everyone could see the burnt and blackened skin that was already beginning to heal.

I could see Paul clench his jaw out of the corner of my eye, but he kept his mouth shut.

"Just like in the myths," said Sue, fascination shining in her brown eyes as she watched the skin on my hand heal before her very eyes. Both Sam and Billy also seemed fascinated as they inched closer to get a better look, eyebrows furrowed and lips pursed.

I nodded, "while touching it does burn us, if it gets into the body then it becomes toxic. Hence why you've probably heard of silver bullets and silver arrowheads. However," I began, glancing nervously out the window at the tree line, an involuntary shiver running up the length of my spine, "I doubt that silver alone will be enough. From what I've gathered about it, this creature seems exceedingly intelligent. Arguably more so than normal. It knows that we're here and it knows that we'll try to kill it with silver."

"What other weaknesses are there?" asked Sam as I put the necklace back on.

"Aconite," I said before clarifying at Paul's confused stare. "Wolfsbane."

"What the hell is that?" asked Paul, still perplexed.

"Have you ever heard of monkshood?"

"Monk hoods?"

I rolled my eyes, "it's a purple flower that grows wild in the northern hemisphere. It's poisonous to humans but deadly to Lycanthropes. It's extremely potent, so it's used a lot in spells and potions," I explained before adding; "you've probably seen it before without even realizing it. It's quite common."

"I used to grow them in my flower bed," said Sue offhandedly. "They make lovely bouquets."

"Okay," said Sam, slowly, "so both of those will be enough to get the job done?"

"It should be," said Mason, although both he and I knew that it wasn't that simple. Not really. "But you have to understand that we're not dealing with your average run of the mill Lycanthrope here. Like Shay said, this thing is cunning and intelligent. It's probably been watching our every move from the shadows, waiting for us to strike. I doubt that a little bit of Aconite and silver will be enough to get the job done."

"I thought you said this thing was rabid," said Paul, eyes narrowing. He appeared to be searching for something in my demeanor or my expression, but I had no idea what it was. "How can something be intelligent and rabid at the same time?"

It was a good question. One that I didn't have the answer too.

I shook my head, unable to respond with an adequate explanation without digging myself into a bottomless pit. The truth of the matter was that there was still a lot we didn't know. Stuff that we were still learning. The Curse of Lycaon had always been shrouded in mystery and to explain it to outsiders who had no context of the story or our history was not easy. Hell, not even I totally understood it.

"We're not sure," said Brenda truthfully as she discreetly held my gaze, her hand coming to rest gently on mine. She continued, "the intricacies of the Curse are not entirely known. What we do know is that the eating of human flesh is what sets the Curse in motion. Once a Lycanthrope gets a taste for it, there's no going back. They turn into something else— something driven purely by hunger and instinct."

Paul seemed to accept that explanation at face value, but I could tell that he still had his doubts.

There was a moment of silence before it was broken by a piercing howl that tore through the air like a knife, capturing all of our attention as our heads snapped towards the window where the rain had just begun to pelt the glass.

Paul and Sam, on the other hand, didn't react as more howls sounded out, echoing throughout the night followed by the sound of footsteps running up the porch before the door slammed open to reveal a shirtless man, the same one that had accompanied Paul to the hospital. He was drenched from the rain, his black hair slick across his forehead. He came to a sudden halt, his dark eyes snapping toward Brenda as he let out a shaky breath.

"Embry," greeted Sam, his deep voice enough to bring him out of his reverie as he tore his gaze off of Brenda and towards the Alpha. "Everything okay?"

"What?" asked a confused Embry, his attention somewhere else. A few seconds later, his eyes widened as if he finally remembered what he was doing there. "Oh, yeah. We picked up some human scents near the eastern border," he said as his gaze lingered back to Brenda.

"How old?" asked Sam.

"Couple hours," replied Embry. "We think they belong to hunters."

"Are they still out there?" asked Paul, gruffly. He was the epitome of calm, but I could tell that this was not welcome news— although it wasn't all that surprising. I remembered the angry crowd that had gathered outside of City Hall, all of them just waiting for the opportunity to kill the 'Wolf' responsible for Molly and Adam's death. For some of them, I knew that it wasn't about the innocent lives lost. They just wanted an excuse to go out and kill something.

Embry shook his head, "there wasn't any sign of them. We think they left already."

"They must be out hunting the creature," said Mason with a heavy sigh. "We heard on the news that the Clallam County Sheriff's office was thinking about deputizing a posse to hunt it down."

"Like that will do them any good," snapped Sue. "All that will get us is a mob of angry men with guns and that is the last thing we need around here," she said before adding; "Charlie's been trying to talk the Sheriff out of it, but no one's taking him seriously."

"Can they do that?" asked Paul. "Can the Sheriff's department just go over Charlie's head like that?"

"Officer Swan is the Chief of Police for the city of Forks," I said before adding; "he's not the County Sheriff, which means he and his department only have jurisdiction within the city limits. The Sheriff's department, on the other hand, has jurisdiction over the entire County, which does include Fork's. So yes, they do have that power and they can legally deputize a posse," I explained. "Although I agree with Mrs. Swan that it's the last thing that we need at the moment."

"But they still have no right to be on our land," said Billy. "Our Tribe is sovereign and neither the County nor the city of Forks has jurisdiction here. They shouldn't be hunting on our lands."

"Maybe it was just a lone group of hunters," I said before adding; "when I was at City Hall the other day, there were a lot of angry people there with guns," I explained, shaking my head. "I wouldn't be surprised if some of them decided to try and do the job themselves."

"Either way there's nothing we can do about it now," pointed out Sam as his shoulders sagged, as if a great weight had been placed there. He let out a tired sigh before continuing, "we've always been careful of the humans around the area, especially patrolling around Forks. But now that the locals think a Wolf is responsible for the attacks…"

He was worried about his pack. A well-meaning human with a gun could do a lot of damage.

"You can't just keep them off your land?" asked Ezra.

"There's technically nothing stopping them from coming onto the Reservation," said Paul. "Normally we would just scare them away, but for obvious reasons, that's no longer an option."

"You're worried about the safety of your pack," Mason concluded, meeting Sam's gaze from across the room. "Because it's not just the maneater that poses a danger to your pack. It's the humans as well."

"The humans have never posed a danger to us," he said, speaking clearly from experience. "But the thought of a mob of angry humans with guns doesn't sit well with any of us. Not only that, but it messes with our patrols as well."

"Unfortunately, like Paul said, there's no way that we can keep them off the Reservation entirely," explained Sam. "So, until this is over, we're going to have to take extra precaution."

"All the more reason for us to get this over and done with as soon as possible," I said before adding; "so that life around here can go back to normal and we can head back to LA."

That seemed to grab Paul's attention as his head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine from across the room as an expression of horror crossed his features— as if the very thought of us leaving brought him physical pain.

And apparently, I wasn't the only one who noticed this as Mason gave me a 'what-the-fuck-look' while Brenda and Ezra shifted uncomfortably in their seat, clearly put off by Paul's sudden change in attitude as well.

"You all drove up here from southern California?" asked Sam curiously.

"They did," I motioned towards the rest of my pack. "I was already in Oregon when I caught wind of what was happening here."

Sam nodded, accepting the story at face value. I could tell that he wanted to ask more questions, but his attention was fixed on Paul, who had gone silent these past few moments. Although I couldn't tell what was going through his mind, Sam seemed to understand as he gave Paul a sympathetic look.

"Well," began Billy, a grim look on his lips, "I think I can speak for all of us when I say we would be interested in learning more about you and your kind. Whatever you would be willing to share with us, that is," he said looking at Mason. "But it's getting late and we would hate to keep you here longer than necessary."

I couldn't help but glance at the clock on the far wall, gaping at the fact that it was already well past midnight at that point.

"Of course," said Mason, rising to his feet. "We should probably be heading out anyway. It is late and we have to hike back to our car anyway," he stuck his hand out for Billy to shake. "We're grateful you were willing to speak with us. I hope we were able to at least shed some light on what's going on around here."

Billy grasped his hand as he nodded, "and we're glad you were willing to speak with us as well, although I can't imagine it was easy sharing all that with strangers such as ourselves."

"It wasn't," I agreed. "But I don't think it matters anymore at this point," at that, my eyes drifted back towards Paul, "but desperate times call for desperate measures."

And I believed it, but I was still hesitant. Desperate times did call for desperate measures. But did that mean that I trusted them? These people with strange abilities who claimed to be the protectors of this land… Could they be trusted? Was I a fool to believe them?

A million different thoughts raced through my head— all of them uglier than the one before. I wanted to trust them, but deep down I knew that if I put my trust in them that I would be playing with fire. And if that was the case, I knew that I would get burnt.

It was only a matter of time.

**OoO**

"Shay?"

Brenda's voice was soft as I heard her sit up, the bed creaking ever so slightly under her weight. It was two in the morning and by now we both should've been long asleep, but neither one of us could sleep— our minds far too occupied with the events of yesterday to go to bed. So, we had both resigned ourselves to laying in bed and staring up at the ceiling.

"Yeah?" I replied, not bothering to look over at her as I continued to stare at the huge water stain that seemed to get growing larger before my very eyes.

"I can't sleep."

"Join the club," I said, pulling the stiff hotel room sheets closer around me like a cocoon.

"I can't stop thinking about that guy," she whispered. She sounded guilty, as if her own thoughts had betrayed her. I understood the feeling quite well.

_All too well, _I reminded myself gently. Ever since departing from Billy's house, my thoughts had not strayed far from Paul. He had somehow managed to worm his way to the forefront of my mind and I had no idea how he had gotten there in the first place. It was almost as if my mind had been invaded and I didn't know how to reconquer it.

It was infuriating, to say the least.

I inhaled deeply as I fisted the sheets. "I know what you mean."

"You do?" she asked as I nodded.

We lapsed into silence as I continued to stare up at that damned water stain. It was large and brown and ugly to look at, but I couldn't take my eyes off of it. I had no idea why.

"Does… does it ever stop?" she asked hesitantly. There was something in her voice… Something that I identified all too much with and I had to be honest. It scared me.

I shook my head, biting my lip pensively. "I don't know, Brenda," I felt as though I owed her more of explanation, but my tongue just wouldn't work. "I don't know."

I knew that it was not enough to convince her, but she didn't ask any more questions as I heard the rustling of sheets on her bed, her form disappearing under the covers as she shifted to get comfortable. I wish I had more to say to her— more that I could explain to her, but how was I supposed to give her something that not even I possessed?

There was still so much that I didn't know. So much that I didn't understand.

But if there was one thing that I was certain of at that point, it was this:

Nothing would ever be the same again.

**OoO**

**Coming Next****: Coffee, another meeting, and target practice. **

**AN: Because the last chapter was late (and also short), I decided to make this chapter a little bit longer to make it up to you guys. As always, I have immensely enjoyed the feedback and responses that I've gotten on this story so far. Also, apologies for not replying to comments as of late. I've been writing like a madwoman, doing online classes, and trying to survive the madness that is Covid-19**

**On a more serious note, I hope you are all staying safe and healthy**

**XOXO**


	12. Chapter 12

_"If it doesn't set your soul on fire, it's not worth the burn."_

_-C. Churchill_

_"Some days I am more wolf than woman, and I am still learning how to stop apologizing for my wild."_

_-Nikita Gill_

**OoO**

I woke up a whole hour before my alarm went off. Normally, I would've closed my eyes and tried to squeeze in a few more minutes of blissful sleep before the reality of the day set in, but that wasn't going to happen. Whatever happened in the next thirty minutes, I knew I would not be falling asleep again. It was if something was willing me awake— something inside of me that did not want to fall asleep again.

Grudgingly, I pushed the warm covers off of me as I heaved myself up. It was still dark outside as the sun was only just beginning to make its journey across the sky as I rubbed the sleep out of my eye. The window was cracked open just enough to let a cold breeze in, which I thought was odd seeing as I didn't remember leaving the window open last night. I decided that Brenda must've opened it sometime in the night as I rose to my feet and reached to close it, my hands freezing in midair as the breeze carried with it the ghost of a familiar scent.

And not just any scent. It was foul, putrid— and _eerily _similar to the scent that I picked up from Molly's backpack. It made my stomach curdle and my skin crawl as the hairs on the back of my neck stood at attention. It gripped me as I stared out the window at the pitch-black darkness from which it came.

And then just like that, it was gone. Dissipating into nothingness almost as soon as it had appeared. It was so quick; I couldn't help but wonder if I had imagined it. But the hairs on the back of my neck and forearms said otherwise. My senses were too keen, too sharp. I had not imagined it.

Trying to keep my panic at bay, I opened the door and stepped outside, uncaring of the cold or the slight drizzle that splattered on my skin and hair. I walked across the deserted parking lot, my eyes scanning the tree line as I came to a halt where the asphalt met the dirt. Cautiously, I sniffed the air as I kept my eyes fixed on the forest.

Distantly, I could hear the birds chirping and singing— as if everything were normal. I watched as a slight breeze rustled through the trees, making them gently sway back and forth.

Maybe I was going crazy, or maybe my nerves were starting to get the better of me. Or maybe it was nearby, hiding in the shadows and watching us from the cover of darkness. If that was the case, then it was probably already long gone, its scent having disappeared with it. Either way, I guess I would never know for certain.

"A little cold to be wearing something like that, don't you think?" came a voice from behind me, causing me to nearly jump out of my skin.

I turned around to see the owner of the hotel standing a few feet behind me, a cigarette dangling between her lips as her eyes raked over my form. I looked down to see that I was still dressed in my pajama shorts that didn't cover much and a skimpy tank top that also did not leave much to the imagination. No wonder I was so cold.

"What's it to you?" I asked as the smell of cigarette smoke and meth assaulted my nose. Her eyes were dilated and there was a faint smell of ammonia on her, a sure sign that she was on a drug binge.

_Maybe that was what I had smelled, _I thought grimly as I stared at her disheveled appearance, taking in the ratty clothes with holes in them that reeked.

"It was just a simple question. No need to get bitchy," she replied as I rolled my eyes.

I didn't give her the satisfaction of a response as I turned around and started to make my way back towards my room, her eyes following me as she let out a puff of air, the cloud dissipating in the air as she tapped on the cigarette with her red press-on nails as ash fell onto the asphalt. There was no way I was getting into an argument with the Queen of methville— especially while she was on an obvious high. I had dealt with too many crackheads in my life and I didn't feel keen on adding another to my list.

Brenda had already showered and dressed by the time I returned to the hotel room, her wet hair falling around her face and neck as she carefully patted it dry with a towel. She smiled as soon as she saw me, but her smile quickly faded as she realized that there was obviously something not right from my rigid demeanor.

"Hey, everything okay?" she asked, concern lacing her tone as I shook my head.

"Did you leave the window open last night?" I found myself asking, my words harsh and my tone clipped. I had to know.

"Yeah," she said. "I got hot last night so I cracked it just a bit to get some fresh air. I didn't think it would be a problem."

Relief flooded me as I ran a hand through my shoulder-length hair, feeling absolutely silly for my overreaction. Of course, Brenda had opened it last night. Who else could've done it? And it wasn't like the window could exactly be opened from the outside…

I shook my head, "no, it's not. I just thought…"

"Thought what?" she asked.

"It's nothing," I responded. "I was just checking."

"Oh," she nodded, accepting my explanation at face value as she continued to pat her hair dry. "Okay."

With that, I closed the window before locking it. We both went about our morning routines and gave it no more thought.

**OoO**

The rest of the morning passed by in a blur. I showered and dried myself off before I started rifling through my suitcase in search of something to clean to wear. Thanks to my restricted access to a washing machine and my time spent on the road, my suitcase had started to take on all sorts of interesting smells and scents. I only had one or two clean shirts and both of them were tank tops— which definitely were not conducive to Forks weather. If I wanted clean clothes, I would need to find a laundromat, and soon.

I ended up opting for a white tank top and dark wash skinny jeans paired my usual combat boots— which happened to be both practical and stylish in my opinion. I finished drying my hair before pulling it back into a ponytail. I decided against makeup that day as I brushed some chapstick over my lips before shrugging my leather jacket on. I was about to grab my wallet and the keys to my rental when someone knocked on the door.

"Hey," greeted Ezra as soon as I opened the door. He was juggling a tray full of coffee in one hand and a McDonald's bag in the other. "Who wants breakfast? I got pancakes, hashbrowns, and coffee."

My stomach growled at the mention of breakfast as I watched him pull out the food, the smell assaulting my nose. Ezra looked at me knowingly as he held up a steaming tray of pancakes, a small smirk tugging at the corners of his lips as I accepted it. I had always had a weakness for pancakes, and he knew it.

"Where's Mason?" I asked as he also handed me a coffee, my eyes drifting towards the window in search of the truck.

"Right here," he said as he walked in with another bag, which he set down on the table before tossing his keys onto the bed. "We had to gas up the truck and we'd figure we'd stop and get breakfast."

"You are a godsend," said Brenda as she sipped her caramel macchiato, reveling in the taste as I shook my head.

"How long have you guys been up?" I asked, turning my attention back towards the two men.

"Since four," said Ezra as he plopped down onto my bed and began to stuff his face with hash browns like the pig that he was. "Figured we'd start the day early since we couldn't sleep last night."

That wasn't surprising to hear. I doubted anyone got much sleep last night, but I didn't comment on it as I plopped down next to Ezra on the bed and began to eat my pancakes, my thoughts drifting back towards last night.

"So, what's the plan for today?" asked Brenda, pulling me back into the present as she bit into her hash browns. "Are we going back to the woods? Cause if that's the case, I wouldn't mind getting some target practice in."

"That's the plan," said Mason as he shrugged his jacket off and tossed it down on the bed before pulling the chair at the table out so that he could sit. "The sun is actually out today, and the weather forecast says there isn't going to be any rain."

"Really?" I asked as I stood up to pull the curtain away, surprised to see that the sun was indeed out. It was still wet out from last night's rain, but there wasn't a cloud to be seen in the sky for miles.

And here I didn't think the sun shone here at all. Guess I was wrong.

"Since there isn't going to be any rain to wash out the scents, I was thinking we could start scouring the woods where that little girl died since we didn't get a chance to last night," said Mason before adding; "unless anyone else has any suggestions?"

I nodded in agreement, my gaze lingering over the rays of sun that lightly touched the treetops. "So, I take it we're not going back to the Reservation then?"

"I wasn't planning on it," he said, peering at me from his spot with his usual candor. "At least, not yet. I figured we would give our… new friends some time to adjust and think things over."

"And how long do you think that will take?" I found myself asking despite my better judgment. None of us knew the answer to that.

He shrugged, "however long it takes. Until then, we're going to do what we came here to do and when they're ready to talk, they know where to find us."

And that was strangely... that.

**OoO**

The rest of the morning was spent in the woods as Mason and Ezra tried to pick up the creature's scent while Brenda and I used to the time to practice our shooting, her with her bow and arrow and I with my gun. Although I had to admit, I was more interested in watching her than I was in shooting glass bottles as she fired off her arrows at the trees, not a single one missing its intended target.

"Do you want to try?" she asked me a few moments later, her gaze falling on me once she noticed me watching her. While I knew how to shoot a bow and arrow, I was nowhere near as talented as her. My mother had tried to teach me when she was alive in an attempt to help me connect with my hunter roots— the roots that had been passed down through the maternal line of our family, but she hadn't been very successful. Plus, I much preferred a firearm to a bow and arrow.

I shook my head, "no, that's alright. You're much better than me anyway."

"Come on," she offered me her bow. "Humor me."

"Alright, fine," I grumbled as I rose my rock and brushed my jeans off. I took my leather jacket off so as to not restrict my movement before draping it over a branch. "But you have to promise not to laugh."

"I make no promises," she grinned as she handed me the quiver, which I strapped on before taking the bow from her outstretched hand, the familiar weight of it settling into my hands as I planted my feet firmly on the ground at what I thought was an appropriate distance between myself and the target until I realized that I was not nearly talented enough to hit anything from where I was standing. So, I swallowed my pride and moved forward until I was certain that I stood a decent chance of hitting something.

"Take a deep breath," she said I nocked an arrow. "As soon as you're anchored and you have your target in sight, hold your breath. That will steady your arm and ensure more accuracy. Once you've let go, exhale."

I nodded as I inhaled, anchoring my feet as I pulled back on the string. I held my breath as I located the target, keeping my posture as steady as possible. I fought the urge to close one of my eyes as I let go, allowing the arrow to fly through the air. It missed the tree by at least four inches as it zoomed past before disappearing into the bushes. Oops.

"Told you I wasn't very good," I said as she shook her head.

"You just need more practice," she said, her voice calm and soothing. She gave me a patient look; one that reassured me she wasn't going to make fun of me. "Try again. And this time, try relaxing your shoulders a little. You were too rigid, and it threw you off your rhythm."

"Alright," I conceded. "Let's try this again."

I did as I was instructed, inhaling as I drew and holding until my target was in sight. I tried to relax my shoulders, but then I accidentally exhaled as the arrow flew through the air before falling to the ground a few feet away from the tree, eliciting a grimace from me as Brenda sighed.

"Hey nice shooting, Robin Hood," said my brother as he appeared out of the trees, his eyes falling on the arrow before giving me an amused grin. "That has got the best display of archery skills I have ever seen."

"Fuck off," was my eloquent response.

"She's just rusty, that's all," said Brenda in my defense before addressing me once more; "try again."

"Brenda, I don't think—"

"One last time," she assured me. "Just trust me, okay? You'll be a true hunter of Artemis in no time," she said as I sighed.

"I doubt it," I muttered. "Okay, fine. But this is the last one."

"I'll take it," was her cheery response as Ezra shot me a 'I-can't-wait-to-see-you-fuck-this-one-up-too' look. He crossed his arms over his chest expectantly as he motioned for me to continue, a wicked grin crossing his features as I glowered at him. Clearly, he found this to be highly entertaining. Asshole.

I took a deep breath, the smell of pine and ocean water assaulting my senses as I planted my feet firmly on the ground. I focused on my target as I drowned out the sound of the forest, the chirping of birds, the buzzing of insects, the sound of rushing water… Then I let go.

The arrow shot through the air like a bullet before hitting the tree— the very same tree that a shirtless Paul stood beside as he stared at the arrow that was embedded into the wood with shock. In my attempt at drowning out all of my senses, I had failed to see him in my line of vision as he had appeared out of the forest seemingly out of nowhere. If he had been standing mere inches to the left, he would've been dead.

He stared at the arrow for a few more tense moments before raising his head to look at me with wide eyes. I could tell that he had been spooked.

"Nice shot," he said after a few moments as I allowed myself to exhale, the feeling of relief spreading through my lungs as I realized that I had been holding my breath. For quite a while, too.

"I missed," I said, still out of breath. Despite being spooked, I was still as sarcastic as ever.

"You call that a miss?" he asked, incredulity lacing his tone as he gave me a bemused look. I was surprised that he wasn't angry considering I had almost turned him into shish kebab. Instead, he seemed almost— impressed.

"What are you doing here?" I demanded, anger finally setting in as I quickly got over my shock. He may be willing to act nonchalant about the entire thing, but I for sure wasn't. "Did you follow us here?"

"What? No," he was quick to clarify. Too quick. "I was out on patrol when I heard you guys. Figured I'd come see what all the ruckus was about and I'm glad I did because that," he motioned towards the embedded arrow, "was badass."

"You should've seen her first two attempts," said an amused Ezra as I shot him an 'I-will-kill-you' look. I liked how Paul had described my shooting and there was a part of me (the cocky part) that took pride in it. He didn't need to know about my other unsuccessful attempts.

But despite my pride, I was still angry. I wasn't about to let that go.

"You could've been hit," I snapped, redirecting the conversation to where it needed to go. "Tell me, Paul," I seethed, "did you lose your situational awareness, or are you always this oblivious?"

I was still waiting for him to get angry. To start shaking like he did at Molly's vigil, but he didn't. He remained so calm and collected that I was starting to see red.

Didn't he understand that he could've been killed?!

"I scared you," he mused. It wasn't a question.

"Of course, you scared me!" I snapped. "Don't you know better than to walk into an open firing range?"

Weapon safety was something that I did not take lightly, and this was no exception.

His lips twitched, "nice to know you care so much about my wellbeing."

"Yes, well," I replied, dryly, "involuntary manslaughter is a thing. So please, do me a favor and check your surroundings next time— or there might not be a next time."

"Of course," he said before sarcastically adding; "we wouldn't want my death to tarnish your reputation, now would we?"

"You understand then," I said, easing up a little as I allowed my shoulders to relax, my anger slowly evaporating. "Good. Now, is there anything else besides your curiosity that we can help you with, or are we done here?"

"Sam wanted me to deliver a message," he said, ignoring my cues for him to leave as he glanced at both Brenda and Ezra. "There's going to be a Council meeting tonight at seven at the Tribal school. All the Elders will be there as well as Chief Swan. They're going to be discussing whether or not they're going to lend the Sheriff's department jurisdiction on the Reservation."

"And you want us there?" I asked, crossing my arms over my chest.

"You're welcome to join," he said before adding; "we were hoping that afterward, we might be able to talk more. I'm sure you have questions."

He wasn't wrong. We did indeed have questions, many questions. The fact that they were willing to share information with us was encouraging.

"I'll have to consult Mason," I said, glancing back at Brenda and Ezra. "What do you guys think? Should we go?"

"I don't see why not," said Brenda as she leveled her gaze on Paul. "There's so much we're curious about— you're the first non-Lycan pack we've ever encountered."

Paul nodded, "it'll also give you a chance to meet the others. They're all looking forward to meeting you, especially Seth."

"Seth?" I questioned.

"Sue's son," he clarified. "He's always had an interest in other creatures besides shapeshifters. First, it was the leeches, now it's Werewolves. You get the idea."

I frowned at the mention of vampires but didn't comment on it as I nodded. "Alright, I'll talk to Mason—" _speaking of my Uncle, where was he? _"and see what he thinks."

"Good," he nodded, the conversation beginning to dwindle as we stared at each other, words escaping us.

"We should probably get going," I said as I glanced up at the sky, noting how late it was getting by then. My stomach growled, signaling my need for food. "It's getting late and we still haven't grabbed lunch yet."

"Right," he licked his lips. "I should probably be heading back as well."

"Unless there was something else you wanted to talk about?" I asked, hopeful. I found that at that moment, I didn't want him to go. Despite my anger and annoyance at him, the pull to be near him was strong; like a string that kept getting tugged. Closer and closer and—

"I—" he hesitated, his gaze traveling past me and towards the woods, "no. That was it."

"Oh, okay," I said, disappointment flooding me.

He must've noticed my disappointment as he smirked. He stepped back towards the treeline, his eyes never once leaving mine. "I'll see you tomorrow, _Shay. _Enjoy the rest of your target practice."

With that, he disappeared into the woods and didn't look back.

**OoO**

**Coming Next:**** Errands, Tribal meetings, and Embry and Brenda**

**AN: This chapter was a monster. I think I rewrote it 4 times before I finally came up with this. It wasn't originally what I intended, but I'm glad that Shay and Paul finally got to talk again. Yay!**

**On another note, I would like to address a comment I received on this fic wondering if this would be a Teen Wolf crossover. The answer is no. This is not going to be a Teen Wolf crossover. Some of the lore in the story and in the show is similar, but as the story develops you'll see that they are not the same. I hope that clears things up :)**


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